Yulei Zhang Master of Landscape Architecture
University of Virginia | School of Architecture 2021
ACADEMIC WORK
01
‘WUDDER‘ Reimagining A Urban Waterfront Plaza | M Spring 2020 | Baltimore
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FLEETING LIGHT A Urban Public Park Edge Rewriting Site History | S Fall 2020 | Charlottesville
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‘ART KEIZ‘ Streetscape As An Incubator For Art Connecting Virtual and Physical | L Fall 2021 | Berlin
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FOREST TRANSITION An Imaginative Investigation on Landscape Elements | M Fall 2019 | Charlottesville
PROFESSIONAL WORK
01
XI’AN Urban Public Commercial Plaza Draft Design + Detail Design Summer 2021 | Xi’an, CHINA
“It becomes critical to understand the landscape systems in which we live, and given their inherent uncertainty, we ought to do so through a combination of ways of knowing: experiential, observational, and empirical. “
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KIRKWOOD Plan Rendering + Tree Survey Summer 2021 | Dallas
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-Lister, Nina-Marie & Zeunert, Joshua. (2017). Landscape and Ecology: Interview with Nina-Marie Lister.
DESIGN REPRESENTATION Axon Diagrams + Perspective Renderings Summer 2021 | Hangzhou, CHINA
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TAPESTRY Planting Plan Rendering Summer 2021 | Dallas
CRAFT WORK
01
LANDSCAPE SPATIAL STUDY Topography, Hydrology and Climate Analysis Spring 2020 | Miami
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HAND SKETCH Synthesis Diagram for Case Study Spring 2020 | Turkey
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MODELING EXPLORATION Experimental Model and Pseudoscience Experiment Spring 2020 | Baltimore
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SPECULATIVE ANIMATION Video editing, animated diagram and virtual reality Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021 | Charlottesville
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GRASSHOPPER SPATIAL PRACTICE Three Site Spatial Response Projects Fall 2021 | Charlottesville
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-1‘WUDDER’ An fragment of the Inner Harbor promenade can be prolonged to a journey of aqua-sphere on an old waterfront park.
There is unfortunately little to no engagement with water for a site that has a close proximity to the waterfront in Baltimore Inner Harbor Promenade. Currently water is physically separated from the flat surface of dry land above. Historically, urbanization has successively hardened the land. With adaptations of physiography, natural and constructed habitats mediated through diurnal tides, natural systems have dramatically between altered. This proposal is around breaking the hard edge between water and land, inviting new dynamic fluctuating, and recurrent waterfront experience into site and bringing back adaptive spontaneous natural system. Instructor: Zaneta Hong Baltimore, MD Spring, 2020
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500’ Central Business & Commercial District Industrial District Flood Risk Area Water Buildings
[ ACADEMIC WORK ]
PRECEDENT STUDY | Scale comparison + Edge Conditions comparison
GESTURE TRANSFORMATION | Transformations + Study Models
Comparing the scale and Water-land edge condition of Site and Precedent
Positioning a portion of the precedent directly on site and studying its spatial experience
Type 1 Folding the land to break edge
Type 2 Stretching out to connect water and land
Type 3 Inviting water come into land
Precedent Plan The City Deck, Stoss
Rash Field Plan
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SITE PLAN | At high water level 1”=100’
DESIGN STRUCTURE | Edge Condition + Water Level + Circulation + Program
Main Route and adaptive spontaneous natural system, The existing hard water-land edge is replaced by new dynamic fluctuating, and recurrent waterfront experience Secondary Main Route Path Entrance
Edge Condition
Water level
Existing Edge Condition Proposed Edge Condition Proposed Extend Edge Condition
Circulation
Min. Tide Level Mean Sea Level Max. Tide Level Proposed waterscape
Program
Main Route Secondary Main Route Path Entrance
Linear Passing Zone Gathering Zone Wetland Zone Discovery Zone Garden Zone Lounge and supply Zone
Water level
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Detail 3 arber nade
wing form
Federal FederalHill Hill
-10Promenade Inner InnerHarber Harber Promenade Promenade
Inner Harber Promenade Inner Harber
Inner Harber Promenade
Detail 2 Water Wall
Water WaterViewing Viewing Plantform Plantform
Water Viewing Plantform
Plantform
Water Viewing Plant PlantViewing ViewingBridge Bridge Plantform Water Viewing
Detail 1 Waterfall
Plant Viewing Bridge
Plant PlantCommunities Communities Plant Viewing Bridge Ramp Ramp
Plant Viewing Bridge
Plant Communities Ramp
Plant Communities Ramp
Plant Communities Ramp
Water WaterTunnel Tunnel
Steam SteamViewing Viewing Platform Platform Water Tunnel
Steam Viewing Water Tunnel Platform Water WaterChannel Channel Wall Wall
Water Channel Wall
Steam Viewing Viewing ViewingPlatform Platform Platform
Viewing Platform Water Channel Wall
Water Tunnel
Waterfall WaterfallPavilion Pavilion
Viewing Platform
Steam Viewing Waterfall Pavilion Platform
Waterfall Pavilion
Water Channel Wall Green GreenWall Wall
Green Wall
Waterfall WaterfallWall Wall
Viewing Platform
Green Wall
Waterfall Wall
Waterfall Pavilion Waterfall Wall
Green Wall
Federal Hill
Different aqua-sphere features are designed for providing varied dynamic water experience to people.
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Detail 2
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Detail 1
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Federal Hill
Waterfall Wall
Federal Hill
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DESIGN TOOLKIT | Spatial prototype of Water-scape Typologies PROPOSED SECTION | Different waterscape typologies placed along the master section
From waterfall sound to tidal sound, water is being heard through out the whole master section. Detail 3 Water Tunnel
Detail 4 Water Ramp
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Detail 4 -11-
DETAIL 1 | Viewing Box in Discovery Zone
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DETAIL 2 | Waterfall in Gathering Zone
DETAIL 3 | Ecological outdoor classroom in Discovery Zone
DETAIL 4 | Along the main route in Linear Passing Zone
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RAIN DAY | Waterfall in Gathering Zone Standing at the overlooking bridge or along the edge of terrace enjoying the view from the other side of Inner Harbor
SUNNY DAY | Waterfall in Gathering Zone Sitting on the terrace or standing on the overlooking bridge and viewing waterfall with cool air -14-
AFTER CONSTRUCTION | Viewing Box in Discovery Zone Viewing outward from viewing box to see fishes and crabs in the water
FUTURE SCENARIO | Viewing Box in Discovery Zone Ten years after construction, spontaneous perennial plants growing on wood pilings, while fishes, crabs and other species in the water. -15-
-2FLEETING LIGHT
An activator at a public park edge.
The location of design is in the southeast entrance to the Market Street Park, near to a bus stop, public library and one main entrance to downtown mall. The history of white supremacy in Charlottesville has deep roots in the park not only owing to the will-be-removed Robert Lee Confederate Statue but also the elevated “plinth“ land form. Confederate monument and upward topography in Market Street Park pillaged passerby’s sight line. In this monumental exclusive atmosphere, the presence of the statue is magnified, the beauty of triviality is ignored. This proposition transform the park’s entrance from a plinth for a monumental statue to a public space for everyday encounters and self-care. Considered this place to sit as an addition to Market Street Park and an activator of the park’s edges and adjacent streets. The proposal light up the entrance with colorful glasses to deconstruct the central axis that leads to the Lee Statue by highlighting the current imperceptible beauty of light and shadow. Colorful Glasses pose like wall but act like connector to bring people together. In old days, the narrative of this park is all about commemorate confederate general; however, the design vitalized the edge to encourage people to cherish the time, the light, the life, other easy to be ignored beings. Instructor: Ghazal Jafari, Beth Meyer Charlottesville, VA Fall, 2020
[ ACADEMIC WORK ]
CONCEPT COLLAGE |
CONCEPT SCENARIO | Light and shadow changes over time
Even after the removal of Lee Statues, passerby’s attention are still driven by the topography towards the remaining statues plinth. What can we do to rewrite history of this land?
SITE PLAN | By installing glasses wall at entrance of this park, light and shadow changes become more playful and visible. Looking up to statues is replaced by looking horizontally or looking down to the ground.
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SECTION | Dimension and Visibility Changes
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CONSTRUCTION DETAIL | Materials of glass walls, benches and stairs
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-3Art Keiz
Physical+Virtual | Gallery+Street Berlin has long been known as a cultural capital with a unique urban life that has produced many artists that are creating with a broad range of media. In the past decade the cities culture has attracted new residents, driving up the cost of living and threatening the once vibrant art and music scenes. As rents rise, artists are vulnerable, losing their ability to live in gentrifying neighborhoods and unable to afford spaces to produce or exhibit their work. In this project, the goal is to transform the street into art-driven streetscape that is an incubator for the art production and exhibition to promote a diverse social, cultural, and economic condition. Through the hybridization of street art (graffiti, murals) and fine art (painting and sculpture) as well as a merger between the physical and virtual, the design creates a spatial program that articulates the role of art in the city. Instructor: Bradley Cantrell + Michael Lee Yulei Zhang + Youfang Duan Berlin, Germany Fall 2021
[ ACADEMIC WORK ]
RESEARCH DIAGRAM | Artwork Type, Artists’ Maketing ways, Attractions to come to Berlin, Concerns for living in Berlin, Reasons to leave from Berlin
RESEARCH DIAGRAM | Rent Price and Artist Density changes
12.94 EUR Kreuzberg
In the past decade Berlin’s culture has attracted new residents, driving up the cost of living and threatening the once vibrant art and music scenes. As rents rise, artists are vulnerable, losing their ability to live in gentrifying neighborhoods and unable to afford spaces to produce or exhibit their work.
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10.30 EUR
14.62 EUR
13.79 EUR
6.20 EUR Schöneberg
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SITE MAPPING | Art Vibe along Public Traffic System
CONCEPT | System and Framework
TYPOLOGY | Spatial stereotype for Street Gallery
Economic
Economic Driver
Incubator
Platform
Street
STAGE
SHARE
Production
Art
sumptio Con n
Social
Cultural
Gallery
CANVAS
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Wall Mural 7
Trade
AR on the Wall
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Fountain Define Boundary
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Ground Mural 8
Holograms in Forest
Street Gallery
Gallery Platform
Riv
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Paving Define Boundary
pre
e Interactive Map
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$5,000
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$10,000
Stage
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NTF - Lighting Art
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Underground Night Club
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Lawn Amphitheater
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Trade Market
Canvas
S S S S
Forum
Communication
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Artist Studio
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U-bahn Mural
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Cafe under U-bahn
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NTF - Shadow Art
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Sunken Plaza
Gallery Network
Art Institution
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Neighborhood
U-bahn
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NTF - Flower Garden
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Sunken Media Theater
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SITE PLAN |
PILOT STREET | Program Planning and Design
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STREET D
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Column System Design | Column Unit System Anatomy and Typology In
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ARTIST’S NOTES: a planting garden on a street for everyone
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Created by: Art Keiz Collection: Planting Garden Open Edition Released: August 19. 2022
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Original listing: $333.00 Last sold: $717.00
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Column System Design | NFT Design, AR technology imbedded in Art Keiz App
Released: 2022.01-2022.12 Original listing: $3,333,333.00 Last sold: $7,195,117.00
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Graffiti Column
Digital Screen
Canvas
Moving Camera
Bollard
AR Sign
Ground Fountain
Ground Lighting
Projection
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Lighting Column
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-4Forest Transition
Experimental site-specific analytical and Conceptual design project Reveal | Assemble | Entangle In Foundation Studio 1, first, we are asked to interpret spatial conditions that give shapes to a movement by using our own body to measure and reflect unique ways of reading site. Since I traverse the Observatory Hill by pursuing the openness of sight line, the project focuses around visibility in relation to vegetation and topography. Then we are asked to abstract a specific set of physical and material configurations that we have observed into general typologies, and to develop a site-less system of movement sequence. By exploring density, texture, layers of vegetation as well as slope gradient, I abstracted those modules based on different levels of occlusion. In the end, I applied multi species to general units and developed a siting strategy for design at the Observatory Hill (site). Instructor: Zihao Zhang Charlottesville, VA Fall, 2019
[ ACADEMIC WORK ]
IN BETWEEN
Different levels and qualities of visibility build up anticipation and construct curiosity that leads you to explore and to discover unexpected phenomenon.
1) VISIBILITY, APPROACH AND ANTICIPATION 2) VEGETATION STRUCTURE & TOPOGRAPHY Photo Joiner |Forest Atmosphere
Site Mapping | The path shaped by the visibility of Big Trunks in vision
Plants are occluded by other plants. YULEI ZHANG
By quantifying site experience, this mapping shows the shaped path and nearby related site conditions.
PHOTO JOINER Plants was occluded by other plants in different levels
EXPERIENCE TRANSFORMATION OF ANTICIPATION AND APPROACH Showing different occlusion coused by topography and vegetation
PLAN & SECTION Different site condtion
Anticiplitation and curiosity drive movements and experiences in landscapes. Different levels and qualities of visibility build up anticipation and construct curiosity that leads you to explore and to discover unexpected phenomenon.
NOTATION MAP DRAFT [UP] Movement and Site Conditon [DOWN] Viewing area
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30’
0’
Experience of Anticipation | Representation
0%-25% Occlusion 25%-50% Occlusion
Showing different occlusion caused by topography and vegetation.
50%-75% Occlusion >75% Occlusion Viewing Range [chosen]
Viewing Range [non-chosen] Canopy Layer Tree [ chosen] Canopy Layer Tree [ non-chosen] samplings Dead Log
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EXPERIENCE TRANSFORMATION OF ANTICIPATION AND APPROACH plore and to discover unexpected phenomenon. Showing different occlusion coused by topography and vegetation
PLAN & SECTION Different site condtion 2
NOTATION MAP DRAFT 3 [UP] Movement and Site Conditon [DOWN] Viewing area
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Draft Mapping | Site condition
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30’
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[Up] Movement [Bottom] Viewing area
0%-25% Occlusion 25%-50% Occlusion 50%-75% Occlusion >75% Occlusion Viewing Range [chosen]
Viewing Range [non-chosen] Canopy Layer Tree [ chosen] Canopy Layer Tree [ non-chosen] samplings Dead Log
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30’
3
NOTATION MAP & SECTIONS Using visibility to show vegetation structure and topography
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AB-[2*6]
A-[2+1] B-[6+1] C-[8+1]
BC-[2*6]
BC-[5]
AC-[2*6]
AC-[5]
ABC-[2*6*8]
ABC-[5]
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AB+BC+AC+ABC-[1+2+3] A+AB+BC+AC+ABC-[1]
Section 1
Section 2
NOTATION MAP DRAFT [UP] Movement and Site Conditon 3 [DOWN] Viewing area
AB-[5]
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Section 5
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Section 4
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samplings Dead Log
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Proposed Path Concept | A Siteless path shaped by the visibility
Proposed Siteless Path | Plan, Section, Diagram and Axon
1 3 4
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[山有小口,仿佛若有光]
[所谓伊人,在水一方]
[蓦然回首,那人却在灯火阑珊处]
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[望故乡渺邈,归思难收]
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[山气日夕佳,飞鸟相与还]
[乱花渐欲迷人眼,浅草才能没马蹄] [花影压重门,疏帘铺淡月,好黄昏]
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[回风一萧瑟,林影久参差] 5
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CONCEPT How Units combine to each other to influence different experiences to create a path
Unit Catalog | Basic unit defined0by parameters, combining as super unit to perform different visibilities 10’ 0 10’
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30’
Generated from Site Analysis, basic unit defined by landscape elements along the path. NOTATION MAP & SECTIONS Using visibility to show vegetation structure and topography
A-[2+1] B-[6+1] C-[8+1]
AB-[2*6]
AB-[5]
BC-[2*6]
BC-[5]
AC-[2*6]
AC-[5]
ABC-[2*6*8]
A+AB+BC+AC+ABC-[1]
ABC-[5]
AB+BC+AC+ABC-[1+2+3]
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UNIT CATALOG How vegetation influence visibility
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10’
[望故乡渺邈,归思难收]
[山有小口,仿佛若有光]
[所谓伊人,在水一方]
[蓦然回首,那人却在灯火阑珊处]
[山气日夕佳,飞鸟相与还]
[乱花渐欲迷人眼,浅草才能没马蹄] [花影压重门,疏帘铺淡月,好黄昏]
[回风一萧瑟,林影久参差]
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LANDFORM PROTOTYPE| Construction Detail and Performance
Construction Plan | The removal and new planted plants
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PLANTS CATALOG | Seasonal Visibility Performance of Plants
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Grading Plan | 1 Year after Construction
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Grading Plan | 20 Year after Construction -38-
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SECTION | 1 Year after Construction and Seasonal Changes
FUTURE SCENARIO | Summer of 20 Year after Construction
SPRING
SUMMER
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FUTURE SCENARIO | Winter of 20 Year after Construction SECTION | 20 Year after Construction and Seasonal Changes
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Professional Work Internship with Delineator
In the summer with Delineator, I participated site inspections and checked survey drawings are aligned with existing site conditions. Conducted planning, historical, and existing site conditions research and came up initial concepts with hand sketches. Produced illustrative graphics in PS / Lumion for external presentations, built Rhino models for detail studies / axon diagrams. Supervisor: Lauren Fasic, Michael Averitt Dallas, TX Summer, 2021
[ PROFESSIONAL WORK ]
XI’AN PROJECT | City Context and Site Historic Context
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XI’AN PROJECT | Hand Concept Plan, Shade Study and Bench Study
City Context from Zhou Dynasty to Ming Dynasty
Concept Plan
Site Shade Study from GH
Site Historic Traces within the Last 20 Years
Hand Bench Study
Bench Unit Study from GH -45-
HANGZHOU PROJECT | Perspective Renderings and Axon Diagrams
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KIRKWOOD PROJECT | Final Plan Rendering and Tree Survey Plan
TAPESTRY PROJECT | Planting Plan Rendering
NM BG PB
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RH RA
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AT
PB
SS
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PA
SHRUB
BC
NM RA R0
PR EC
10’
15’
Beargrass Prostrate Fragrant Sumac Rosemary-’Arp’ or ‘Hill’s Hardy’
NM SS
GRASSES
PA BC NM
SS
BG EC SS
‘Blonde Ambition’ Blue Grama Weeping Love Grass Little Bluestem
PA EC PR
R0 LC
LM
RH EC AQ NM BC EC AQ NM BC
RA
NM
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AQ
BG
SS PB
PB PR
CG R0 0L NR
PERENNIALS AQ AT CG
Flame Acanthus
LC LD LM NR OL PA PB PR RH
‘New Gold’ Lantana
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Butterfly Weed Gregg’s Mistflower
Lantana ‘Dallas Red’ Purple Trailing Lantana ‘Walker’s Low’ Catmint White Gaura Russian Sage Brazilian Rock Rose Jerusalem Sage Black-eyed Susan Zexmenia
VINES BC
Cross Vine
R0 0L
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LANDSCAPE SPATIAL STUDY Analytical and Research project “Instead of aiming to provide clear answers to clearly defined questions, it shifts the question until the answer becomes a process of how to answer a question of that nature. This operation transforms it into an action on an action, a design of the process of designing, rather than the design of mere products.“ (Torsten + Scott, 95) In the project, I have conducted a series of analyses investigating climatic phenomena, topography and hydrology, using digital elevation models (DEMs) that I download from the National Map Viewer. These analyses make use of two ArcGIS extensions (Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst) as well as one plugin for Grasshopper (Ladybug). Instructor: Andrea Hansen Philips Miami, FL Spring, 2020
Landmark accessibility in Miami
[ CRAFT WORK ]
3D CLIMATE DATA CHART | Analyzed from Ladybug plugin for GH
SYNTHESIZING ANALYSIS | ArcGIS Suitability Analysis Modeling
TOPOGRAPHY AND HYDROLOGY ANALYSIS | Exported from Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst for ArcGIS
Slope Analysis -52-
Wind Field Analysis
Watersheds with pour points and streams
A stream network derived from DEM
This suitability analysis is for identifying an ideal parcel to locate site design proposal. By using ArcGIS suitability analysis modeling, I combined different layers and site maps to perform this analysis. -53-
HAND SKETECH | Synthesis Diagram for Case Study
MODELING EXPLORATION | Wax model and ground material experiment
Visual and Physical Connectivity
Synthesis Diagram -54-
Circulation and Topography
Wax Model for Representing Volcano Eruption
Ground Material Atmosphere Experiment -55-
SPECULATIVE ANIMATION | Video editing, animated diagram and virtual reality
https://vimeo.com/534450106
Anatomy of a Detail | Viewing Box
https://vimeo.com/534284746
Phenomena | Fairy Chimney and Almond Tree -56-
https://vimeo.com/667518815
Speculative Fiction | What Next?
https://vimeo.com/530594858
Imaging the Green New Deal | A Path of Rehabilitating -57-
GRASSHOPPER SPATIAL PRACTICE | Models Generated from GH
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GRASSHOPPER SPATIAL PRACTICE | 3D Printed Model Generated from GH
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