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Portfolio Zhi kai Chen

Master of Architecture, SCI-Arc, Summer 2018 Bachelor of Architecture, SUNY at Buffalo, 2016

Zhikai Chen So uthe rn Ca l if ornia Inst it ut e of Archit ect ure M.Arch II 1 0 0 S SANTA FE AVE, APT 638 L OS ANGELES, CA 90013 1 + 213-271-5917 la urachenx @hot m ail.com www.colt anf airt rade.com © 2018 All rights re se r ved. No part of t his book m ay be reproduced in a n y fo rm wit hout writ t en perm ission of copy right o wner.

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Portfolio

Zhikai Chen M.Arch II Select works Sta te Universit y of New York a t Buf f alo So uthe rn Ca lif ornia Inst it ut e of Archit ect ure

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Cont ent s [Intern Experience]

01. 6 7 3 5 6 th ST NY /

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02. Pe rfo rma To wer /

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Ta n Archite ct . P C Fr- e e Fe rna n d o

[Studio Projects]

03. The Me rchant of Venice

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04. Re plic a Design Developm ent

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05. The Sphere of Kno wledge

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06. Urba n Housing

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07. Arc hite c t ure Of f ice

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08. Ro lle r Park

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09. We llne ss Cent er

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10. The Co ntinuous Elem ent

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[A pplied Studies]

11. Co nstruct ion Technolog y

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12. Adva nc e d Ma t erial and Tect onic

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13. V isua l Studies

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14. Filte r Stra t eg y

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15. Bic ho s in Beijing

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16. Co ra l Archit ect ure

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A c k no w ledgm ent

M.Arc h II st udent gradua t e f rom So uthe rn Calif ornia Inst it ut e of Arc hite c ture. Ov er t he last six years, I ha ve be e n st ud y ing archit ect ure and pra c tic ing as an int ern archit ect in va rio us o f f ices over t he sum m er. This e xpe rie nce has grea t ly cont ribut ed to my de sign skills and work et hic.

I a m se e king t o work in a large f irm drive n by a crea t ive and div erse de sign cult ure. I ha v e ex perience wo rk ing wit h large t eam s as well as c o mmunica t ing direct ly wit h client s.

I a m lo o king f or an opport unit y t o he lp further build on t his ex perience.

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01 673 56th ST NY Tan Architect Summer 2016 Internship Supervisors: Architect Tan, Winnie Sui Thian Mok 1904 Northern Blvd #205, Flushing, NY 11358 718 224-1130

Tan Architect P.C. is a firm by licensed architect Mr. Tan, which focuses on the local residential and commercial housing projects. The projects includes single/ multiple families housing, hotels, apartments, retails and so on. Design on house and townhouse in local NYC. During the period working there, I experienced the whole process of designing, including: • • • • • •

Concept design Construction design, Negotiate with clients and government.

Construction and technical drawings.

3D models and renderings of hotels and apartments.

Facade design of mixed used apartment.

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02 Performa Tower Fr-ee Fernando Romero Summer 2017 Internship Supervisors: Sergio Rebelo, Unai Artetxe, Fernando Torres, Daniela Gallo FR-EE New York City +1 212-242-3104 15 W 27th St, 11 floor New York, NY 10001 FR-EE’s proposal for a 60-story office tower located on Paseo de la Reforma, the most significant axis of Mexico City, advances a focused real estate strategy to provide Class-A workspace to top local and foreign companies. The site is roughly 1.5 acres and located near the roundabout of Colón, a key point along the avenue. Reforma Tower 2 provides maximum plan flexibility and features two strategically placed vertical circulation cores. The project also incorporates sustainable design elements and technologies to create a performance-driven environment, adding value to the overall value and attractiveness of the tower to future tenants.

Experience included: • • • • • •

Exterior Design-facade design, Color testing, Working out building section details.

Interior design-spatial studies Material selections.

Rendering of exterior spaces/facades.

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03 The Merchant of Venice Design Studio Fall 2017 2GAX Instructor: Eric Owen Moss Partner: Volver Zhang

The project is to design a housing apartment for homeless people on the beach of Santa Monica next to Canal of Venice. The canal is of long history and with the dream of creating the Venice in Los Angeles.

The project start with the study of the typology of mountains and islands. By merging the geometry, cutting the edge, or digging out the volumes, designers were trying to mutate the typology and its site.

On the top of the mountain, we put the diamond stone which is the residential.

It starts with the idea of mountain from the water. The pond will be the headwater connecting to the Canal. The geometry of mountain shape grows organically with small islands, bays and mainlands. The commercial area is programmed inside the mountain, while there is an diamond on the top for standard housing units. The project discusses the issue between the two elements as the way to merge them. Special windows are designed to merge the boundaries of the shapes.

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04 Design Development Applied Studies Fall 2017 3GBX Instructor: Herwig Baumgrtner,Brian Zamora Partner: Feng Wang, Bingyi Li, Ruoya Li

This project, the design for a clean-tech incubator, starts off with close geometric analysis of the form of a Thonet Chair, breaking its primary curves into smaller spline segments and re-imagining them as three dimensional pipes that wrap around the building mass. The resulting frame not only serves as external ornament to the building but also as a structure that perforates through the building envelope and floor slabs. The splines extracted from the Thonet Chair also inform the curved, inflated surfaces of the building, as well as subtly redefining the rigid edges where these surfaces meet. The project has taken into account Manfredo Tafuri’s 1 metaphor that compares the assembly of lines to the organization of modern urbanism, where hierarchy chains should be presented in a way that each parent object must be seen as an assemblage of smaller ones; architecture does not describe anymore a form, but organize different principles of the city. The project affirms this and during the assembly of splines, certain parts are arranged together to create specific effects and purposes for the building. While Greg Lynn 2, in his text Animate Form, defines the splin as a curve that is seamless, where segments are not distinguishable from each other, the design of the incubator purposely creates several sharp kinks form connections of curves to mimic the original features of the Thonet Chair.

Besides the thoughtful use of splines in the building itself, they are also incorporated in its surrounding landscape. Shadow ranges of the building mass are traced and playfully transformed into rhythmic patterns. In this way splines are used to shift from an expression of the project’s underlying geometry and become the instigator of stimulating new spatial experiences.

1. Kohler Daniel. The Mereological City: A Reading of the Works fo Ludwig Hilberseimer. Germany, Transcript-Verlag, 2016 2. Lynn Greg. Animated Form. New York, Princeton Architectural Press, 1999

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05 The Sphere of Knowledge Design Studio Fall 2017 2GBX Instructor: Elena Marferdini

Etienne-Louis Boullee used the sphere as a symbol of enlightenment ideas in his Cenotaph for Sir Isaac Newton. In his view, the sphree was the geometry which represents innovation and perfection of new knowledge. In this project is not only about planning a new school but also envisioning the future learning environment.

Especially for architecture education, there has been continuous development of new computational tools for 3d modeling and advancing design approach. So adopting new technologies became inevitable.

SCI-Arc has established on concrete pedagogy which is architecture can our future world. The school has been boldly engaged in new technology. Future students of SCI-Arc will be learning outside, armed with different devieces, listening to a teacher from different specialities. Present SCI-Arc is ready for near future but enventually, the shcool will need more flexible learning spaces in long term.

While speculating new learning spaces, we are focusing on Virtual Reality devices. In our senario, make new SCI-Arc as a perfect environment for using VR as their future designing tool. The main goal of the project enables every student can use VR devices actively and share those exciting moments with their classmates and public.

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CONCEPT Devices for future architects

CONCEPT Devices for future architects

Computer will be the main high technology that architects will work on.

Activities and spaces for future school Computer will be the main high technology that architects will work on.

Architects will use VR to actually see and experience their design space, and discuss with partners or

3D Printer or robots hands will be used more for models making, instead of hand making.

Architects will use VR to actually see and experience their design space, and discuss with partners or

3D Printer or robots hands will be used more for models making, instead of hand making.

Activities and spaces for future school

When architects work alone, they will only need a computer, VR and 3D maker. Space will be flexible, only if there is space for playing VR. Less requirements for the space.

On the day of presentation, audiences would be required to wear VR to see and experience the space.

Space needs to be bigger but again flexible. It can be any empty space.

The concept is to create a big VR auditorium for any scale of model to display, while a few amount of small VR experience room surround it.

When architects work alone, they will only need a computer, VR and 3D maker. Space will be flexible, only if there is space for playing VR. Less requirements for the space.

On the day of presentation, audiences would be required to wear VR to see and experience the space.

Space needs to be bigger but again flexible. It can be any empty space.

The concept is to create a big VR auditorium for any scale of model to display, while a few amount of small VR experience room surround it.

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06 Urban

Housing

Design Studio Fall 2015,Buffalo New York Second Prize Studio Competition Professor: Erkin Ozay Partner: Josh Erni The project is to create working housing for artists. The site is on downtown buffalo, on the corner of Delaware ave and Chippewa st. It is a busy business center where locates all kinds office and retails.

Various kind of people walking down the street. While, one block away, the Franklin road is quite quiet and isolated area. Our urban strategy is to create green path which lead people from Delaware ave to the Franklin road. The green path extends all way down to Pearl street. A courtyard is created as the starting point of the green path.

The public program is the art gallery, where artists in housing can exhibit or sell their art work. The first volume is uplifted 16ft off ground, and set back from the sidewalk. Thus, the courtyard is easily seen and accessible. The uplifted void space also offer the opportunity for light artists to exhibit their light sculpture.

The housing program is designed for artists, which means that diffuse daylight would be preferred for studio. The housing volume is rotated into the direction of true north. Also, panels are designed for light control. There are two types of units; the flat and the duplex. The flat is fully accessible. The studio is on the north side of unit, while, the living space is on the south side. Both offer panoramic views. The direction of the housing is also facing the Allen Town, where gathers lots of studio and artists.

The structure for public program is steel truss cantilever from core. Concrete taper is used for housing. Double glazing facade is designed on the south side. Thus, cross ventilation is feasible in the winter, when blocking out strong wind from southwest. Panels have various colors on the facade. Light pink, yellow, orange and red is used to light up the street.

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07 Architecture Office Design Studio Fall 2014, Buffalo New York Instructor: Kenneth MacKay Indivisual Work

The design is to devide office into two main programs. One is general working space, the other one is isolated office. The working space is the space requires more diffuse daylight, communicative space arrangement, and broad view . However, for individual office space, it requires quiet environment, isolated and less interaction with others.

The finalized design composites of three concrete columns , which is also programmed with office, and a long cantilever of the general working space . The Columns have been pulled down to ground to support the building instead of hanging as Scheme Three. The cantilever has been uplifted 20 ft, to provide studio with more diffuse daylight and a better view over the streets.

The building has been designed dedicated for diffuse light. There are extra void space created between office column and the general space. The south facing facade is covered by opaque glass to minimize the direct sunlight, or concrete walls have been erected for passive solar design. In the summer time, the light would hit the concrete wall, and reflect some into the working space.

Building has big glazing facing north, where the diffuse daylight would be welcomed into the building. Since Columns are 15 ft taller than the working space, shadow would be created to prevent the direct sunlight .

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08 Roller Park ARC 404 Senior Studio Spring Semester 2016 Outer Harbor, Buffalo NY Instructor: Brian Carter

“What does summer place meant to you?” “Roller Coaster.” “Playground.” When we were talking to the teenagers, these are the first things that come to their minds. Thus, the idea of the summer place started from here. Roller Coaster is proposed horizontally as main infrastructure, and teenagers and kids can have fun crossing between the curves and under. Playground and water parks are designed between the curves. Bike tracks and skateboarding tracks are designed on the top of the Roller Coaster. Trees are planted on the edge of the side to block out the noise from highway, creating a quiet peaceful land for people here. Wood waffle structure is used as quick temporary construction. From the view of the Bike System of Buffalo, the proposal extends the route to the Outer Harbor. Thus, more poeple are introduced to the site and shorten the distance to the school. Healthy lifestyle is proposed in this way.

Wish List from Teenagers; 8th Grade - Roller Coaster -Playground - Food - Internet - Recreation 12th Grade - Roller Coaster - Personal Hour - Soccer

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here. Roller Coaster is proposed horizontally as main infrastructure, and teenagers and kids can have fun crossing between the curves and under.

Playgrounds and water parks are designed between the curves. Bike tracks and skateboarding tracks are designed on the top of Roller Coaster.

Trees are planted on the edge of the side to block out the noise from the highway, creating a quiet peaceful land for people here. Wood waffle structure is used as quick temporary construction. From the view of the Bike System in Buffalo, the proposal extends the route to the Outer Harbor. Thus, more people are introduced to the site and shorten the distance to the school. Healthy lifestyle is proposed in this way.

- Food (8th Grade) - Roller Coaster (8th Grade) - Internet (8th Grade) - Recreation (8th Grade) - Personal hour (12th Grade) - Roller Coaster (12th Grade) - Soccer (12th Grade) - Playground (12th Grade)

Concept Diagram

Bump up curve sports track in section

Flatten the roller coaster to a plan

Plan

Water Park underneath sporting trucks

Structure Details

300’

600’

N

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YOUNG AUDIENCES IDEAS COMPETITION 2016 95

Waterfront Elementary School

State Bike R o ute 5 17

Proposal Bridge

Buffalo & Erie County Public Library

Summer Palace

lo Harbor Park

ntown buffalo proposed.

s Stop

Buffalo Harbor State Park

Bike Route at Outer Harbor Bridge is proposed to connect school to outer harbor. It is 2.25 km from Waterfront Elementary School, 8.7 mins bike riding (15.5 km/h).

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Bike Route

Proposed Bike Route

Proposed Bridge

Plan

Structure

300’ 97

600’

N

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09 Wellness Center Fall, 2014 Main St, Summer St, Best St. Buffalo, NY The concept is to create wellness center to help interaction of the site. The site is at the corner of the Summer St and Best st. In downtown Buffalo, Main street divided the site into two part. According to NY times census, the west side of the site is more dense, high educated, and richer, while, the east side is less dense, lower educated and poorer.

Based on the site study, the concept would focus on the how to lead people to interact, to help solve the social problem. To achieve concept of interacting people from different race, ethnicity, and cultural background, transportation of the site is considered to be main issue, which can lead people to the other side of the Main Street, where you can meet more people. I try to use the train station to attract people to the other side in order to help interaction of community and activate the isolated part.

The train station is originally located on the Main street, where the site is separated. The train station is moving toward the east along the the line where people from different culture background can release the pressure from reality, and talk freely to others.

The idea was inspired by the Roman Basilica where people communicate and help developing the society.

People in nowadays society face too much social pressure. Some is from family, some is from work, and some is from self. The purpose of the wellness center is to help people release pressure, and free themselves to new friends, to the new community that they have not yet interact with. The movement of the train station and the creation of the path have lead people to the site, and the program here would help them to access to the purposes.

The detail programs includes bath, aqua therapy, gym, aromatherapy and fan-go mud room. The project use dome as the main shape to show the respect toward the Roman Basilica. The project use waffle structure. Glass panels with different transparency and reflectivity are used as facade. The heat and HVAC system going through the columns.

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10 The Continous Element Design Studio Fall 2017 2GAX Instructor: Casey Rhem Partner: Yujue Wang The study of the project is focused on the continuity of the inside and outside, in the term of geometry, faรงade and organization.

Starting from the thonet chair, we figure out that thonet curve pipe is the boundary of the volumn, and also by sticking through the pillow, it introduces the exterior into the inside. Thus, for our building, we follow the concept of continuity between the inside and outside.

From the point of geometry, pipes and volumes shape each other. pipe constrain the volume, some pipes flow into the center of the volume, defining the void space of the tube and atrium. The atrium and tube continuously introduce the exterior space to the inside of the volume.

The atrium and the tube intersect each other to emphasis the idea of the continuity.

As for the organization, the atrium is the vertical void space created for interior public circulation, (section) and the tube connecting the view to the downtown LA, while itself is programed as the outdoor green space, which is visually connected with the offices. It reflect the concept of the continuity from the points of the programs and vision. Our program is fabrication/ sterotype. The public circulation connecting the different programs.

In the term of the faรงade, we study the relationship between the texture and the geometry, which also stress the continuity of the inside and outside. By disturbing the texture, we created the new language between the color and shadow. Some Surfaces are divided based on the disturbing pixels, and being extruded into different depth both inside and outside. Overall , we design the 3 dimensional facades which create rich scale of both interior and facades. The experience from the further distance is connected with the one of inside.

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FRONT

SIDE

FRONT

SIDE

TOP

AXON

TOP

AXON

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Th e s t u i t s re l a co n t ro l draggin the sha fl ows.

Fu r t h e r l i n e s, c s u r f a ce draggin the sur c u r ve s.

Th e s t u Th o n e t its stru suppor c re a t i n vo l u m n

Th e vo which a c i rc u l a t u b e s, a re a . Th extend curvy f fabrica other b

Fro m t h c re a t e d and att

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11 Construction Technology University at Buffalo Spring 2015 Manefee Cabin

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12 Advanced Materials and Tectonics Applied Studies Fall 2016 2GAX Instructor: Maxxi Spina Partner: Minah Kim, Shaolun Chien, Rachel Chen

The class paired areas of investigation and speculation are Tectonics-predominantly building envelopes and Performance-largely consisting of technical, technological, cultural and environmental dimensions. Working in groups throughout the entire semester, students analyze and document a Precedent in order to formulate a series of hypotheses in an attempt to construct a number of interrelated tectonic conjectures. In scrutinizing building assemblies, the class will attempt to position construction analysis so as to produce both technical knowledge and critical awareness of embedded cultural habits. The class will thus seek out an alternative understanding of the Tectonic-one that not only mirrors the realm of construction-materials, methods, sequences, tolerances, etc.-but also embraces architectural processes of expression, encompassing issues of geometry and technique; posture and character; etc.

Methodologically, the class frames its object of study through the possibilities of a sectional approach. The primary mode of design and representation is the cut-away axonmetric drawing- and the sectional model, its analogue material incarnation. These modes of dissemble analytical representation will tend to produce a sectional object of compelling spatial simultaneity, of which its purpose and merits lies in concurrently presenting the interior and exterior of the building alongside the poche that separates them. Then seminar culminates with each group reformulating their initial tectonic conjectures so as to adapt to a slightly altered design scenario. In re-informing the origins of the work, the class intends to search for a novel set of formal, geometrical and technological associations so as to yield a new tectonic coherence.

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KEY

udy: Moscow School of Management/David Adjaye [Russia] m:Glazing Curtain Wall

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BUILDING STRUCTURE

WALL

PANEL STRUCTURE

FIX CLIP (ALUCOBOND)

PANEL SYSTEM

GLASS

GLASS

STAINLESS STEEL GOLD MIRROR

GLASS TRANSLUCENT TINTED GOLD

STAINLESS STEEL BLACK MIRROR

POWDER COATED STEEL GLOSSY

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Advanced Tectonics 3200: Maxi Spina Chen_Rachel / Chen_Zhikai / Chien_ShaoLun / Kim_Minah

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Daylight Factor Node Analytsits Re ected light Direct light

Wind

Natural Ventilation

Precedent Study: Moscow School of Management/ Facade System:Glazing Curtain Wall

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Sun-Path Diagram

Fifth Floor

Sun path changes radically between summer and winter in Moscow.

Most of the radiation reflected easily with curtain wall facade and ACM panel part protect building from losing heat.

Wind Rose Diagram

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Fourth Floor

Wind is mostly come from South-West part.

One of the residential building blocking the wind and rest of the building gathered behind this mass.

Wind Vertical Profile

m/s 1.35<= 1.29 1.23 1.17 1.10 1.04 0.98 0.92 0.86 0.80 <=0.74

Wind get stronger with upper height.

Overall mass maintain in lower height which make building protect itsel rom heavy wind of Moscow.

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Third Floor

Advanced Tectonics 3200: Maxi Chen_Rachel / Chen_Zhikai / Chien_ShaoLun / Kim

Option 1

The original panel system is kept and the standard curtain wall is added inside to

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layer of the facade. The overall facade allows more natural light to enter during the daytime.

The height of the window sill and the panelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scale allow no light on the edges of the walls.

or ge sp lit

Shadow

Shadow

132 Indirect Illumination

indirect illumination

Option 3

Option 2

The Th triangular shaped panels for this option is

The panels size are scaled down and shifted in

rea sh sit ed edges of the walls.

original building. The overall facade allows a generous amount of light to come in the interior space. The change in scale of the panels allow little light to the edges of the walls.

Shadow

133 indirect illumination

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13 Visual Studies Visual Studies Fall 2017 2GAX Instructor: Casey Rhem Partner: Ruoya Li

The course will cover issues of contemporary representation and the development of splines in relation to complex digital form and physical and visual space. Visualization today encompasses the development, exploration and communication of information and ideas in multiple medium.

The course will engage recent techniques related to splines, gesture interfaces and virtual reality. The course will develop critical visual literacy and review methods for generating and evaluating lines, surfaces and volume. We will review modes of drawing and modeling in three dimensional space, including the importance of precision and abstraction. Exercise and associated tutorials provide opportunities to discover novel concepts through transformation and tactical work flows. Finally the course will foster the development of architectural character. You will be expected to develop expertise and execute your intentions with clarity.

The gestural line will explore the potential and differences of the stroke, the gesture and the line. In architecture and visualization these artifacts can be associated with rhythmic repetition, erratic character, structural integrity, whimsical moments and elegant form. Through the use of building and rebuilding lines the project will address issues of line, surface and volume.

The first project will require the generation and design of lines through gestural animation. You will create a series of lines in space and then redesign their relationships and qualities.

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Strategy 14 Filter -Air Filters Visual Study Spring 2016 Instructor: Miguel Guitart

The concept is to present the passing time and season by creating various shapes of shadow in the room. When the sun angle changes over the time and season, the overlapping windows would create various shadow shapes on the floor. The facade is consist of two layers. One is rectangular, while the other layer is slanted. Once the light hit the facade,two kinds of shadow would be created. The clear dark shadow by direct light, and the blurry gray shadow by the slanted light and reflective light from the other layer. The clear black shadows tell the stories of the weather and exterior space, while the blurry gray shadows create the â&#x20AC;&#x153;dreamyâ&#x20AC;? atmosphere of the interior space. The fading color from the black to gray provides the sensitive environment for the interior.

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Density Filters

The filter is to show the idea of density. The filter used floss as material to cast the characteristics of the frame. The floss is connected by the frame. Some area is single layer or even empty, while some area is covered by multiple layers of lines. The middle area appears to be a big whole for clear view, while the other views are misty.

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Diagram

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Thick Filter

The design was inspired by the Tower of Shadows. When professor explained the facade itself as identity, my thought started to image the facade as a useful place where people could play and interact with the nature.

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Furnished Filter

The design is to make the filter functional. By extending the facade, it can be used as part of furniture, and window. People can sit on the waffle structure, and enjoy the dim light from the back wall. The other side of the filter is covered by the opaque glass or paper. Thus, from the outside, the flue is shown but dreamy, keeping the building mysterious.

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Message Filter

This project design the facade with color glass on the side, while pure white for interior and exterior. The design is trying to create solid facade with colorful sun leaking in from the void. Message would be delivered through the colors, and the reflective colors on the white wall creating the blurry atmosphere.

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15 Bichos in Beijing Design Studio Fall 2017 3GAX Instructor: Hernan Diaz Alonso + Rachel McCall Indivisual Work

The studio is proposing to re-examine the possibilities of form generation as an entity trough the understanding of literal manipulation of stuff. As well to focus in the idea of the “literal” as a production mechanism for form making. With the objective to produce a euphoric and effervescent act of architecture through technology a mutant nature. We will explore two extremely strong juxtaposition of matter, technology and living particles/ matter. The trajectory of abstraction, in many ways, has been the dominant force of form production in our discipline. The studio is aiming to explore the methods used in pragmatic models of arrangement as a literal and artificial construction of nature. Matter simulation and organization are the other ingredients of this studio. Pollution, nature, discards have the capacity to be very literal, again, about their intention and also visceral in their affects. The aim is to make the combination of the potential formal arrangements and the formalized self-organization as the perfect intersection of agents of contamination. The clues are in the currency of ideas, ideas that come from the cohesion of borrowing techniques from the technological domain and literally extracting the exuberant physicality of things.

The “Formal” project, more often than not comes short in the generation of exaltation and euphoria, and even if corny, happiness, it tends to focus in a solemn intellectual critical reading, the aim of the studio is to challenge these conception and push the “formal” toward immersive “affective understating”. The goal is to produce a different bread of artifacts, ones that combine, architecture, technologies, public art, nature and landscape, artifact that have the capacity to emerge as a new lawyer in the complexity of the metropolis.

Fashion. Art. Architecture. The studio will aim to develop entirely new kinds of products and technologies/architecture/art that move seamlessly between our bodies, our buildings, and our cities.

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16 Breathing Coral Thesis Design Summer 2018 Instructor: Hernan Diaz Alonso Indivisual Work

The most effective way to ‘heal’ a stressed ecology may be to construct living buildings ---- Rachel Amstrong ‘To Breathe’ is to have an interactive communication between the environments ---- Kengo Kum

My research seeks to create thee dialogue between nature and architecture. My focus is to realize the possibility of living architecture, which behave like a living organism to the nature. Living architecture communicates with the environment. Coral, as the living shelter for underwater creature, it challenging the stiff rigid and static volume we are limited to. It creates the soft, extensive space which not need to be square or circle. It brings back the city with liveness, and bringing the imagination of new type of architecture. It proposes a new typology of architecture which is moving responsive to the environment; different from the non-moving concrete or breathing material; looking back into the nature and creating the nature by tech. From the view of city, the breathing coral, bring back society of liveness and well-being.

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In the age of 21th century, when the society is facing the pressure of living on the earth, human being is trying to look for solutions from the natural sources. In the field of architecture, people are saving energy waste of daily life, and also the construction waste. Bio-architecture is introduced into the design phase in this circumstances. Designers and scientists look at the biology for the answer of how natural science is more adaptable than artificial wisdom, and how to save time to live on the earth. Learning from biology, designers are desired to study the way that nature built itself to adapt the environment and to resist the unhealthy invading creatures. In the following precedents, couple of different natural studies are appropriated to the architectural trials. The ideas are brought up to bring back greens to the building facade, providing city with liveness, provoking the breathing of architecture and etc. The concept of comparing the building facade with the animal skin, is trying to persuade the society that building in someday can be self-sustainable and strongly selfprotective in the worse environment.

Somehow, people are expecting architecture can live like plants and animals, which can learn to wisely adjust themselves in the uncomfortable environment, without extra energy consumption from the nature.

Thus, in this essay, I am trying to introduce the interesting projects that relate to the biology and by adapting the biological magic to architecture as the tool to solve the living issues on the earth.

Silk Pavilion from Neri Oxman is the one that explores the relationship between digital and biological fabrication. In this project, steel and strings build up the basic structure and shape of the dome shape pavilion, and then thousands of silkworms

space between the strings and structure.

Void space is gradually being filled up by the silk of the warms. The pavilion is the made of the fabrication that is mixed with the artificial art and the power of the nature.

The steel frame and string webbing is based on the sun path diagram. Thus, the final fabrication of the pavilion is trying to provide shading for the place. It is an experiment that harmoniously engage together the computational design, digital fabrication biology, and environment. The silk from worms is different from the string that human can make. It is so much thinner and softer and denser. It creates the silky, hazed and blurry atmosphere which is different from the man made fabrication. Even though it is hard to say what kind specific environmental issue this pavilion is solving, the organic texture mapping created by silkworms has its own uniqueness that could hardly be copied or cloned. The description from Neri Oxman is:â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oxmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goal is to augment the relationship between built, natural, and biological environments by employing design principles inspired and engineered

by Nature, and implementing them in the invention of novel design technologies.

Areas of application include architectural design, product design, fashion design, as well as the design of new technologies for digital fabrication and construction .â&#x20AC;? In this case, this project is one of my favorite since it is hosting the organic nature into the computational design with the artificial and biological wisdom. City right now is totally off the balance of human and nature.

Only concrete steel and glass is the friends of human being, while they would be still in the city for a long period of time without breathing, moving or any responsive reactions to the environment changes. It is stable and long lasting, but it is also the fact

on the net and let them weave the void

that we actually live in the city environment

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without any liveness, as if it is dead.

Manhattan without Central Park is literally full of concrete and brick. Giving the city of liveness is the way to cure the imperfect health situations. The existence of Silk Pavilion is just like building of Central Park, which introduces the nature back to human, bring in the liveness to the deadly city.

The other example that I would like to introduce for the biology and architecture is “IN VITRO MEAT HABITAT”, the project from Terre form Organization. The project uses the dried pork meat to build up the volume space where it has the couple holes to represent the window of the habitat. From the description, it can be seen that the designer is trying to use the meat as the material to create the new fabrication for architecture.

The fabrication is not only textured in the pieces of the meat that is cut but also the strength of themuscle. The nature muscle texture of the meat is introduced into the habitat, which make the building unique because it is artificial wisdom as well as the natural wisdom. It says:” This is an architectural proposal for the fabrication of 3D printed extruded pig cells to form real organic dwellings. As of now, the concept model consists of essentially very expensive fitted cured pork or articulated swine leather with an extensive shelf life. ” The nature is totally hosted into the man made. Looking at the detail drawing, it is quite interesting to see the similarity between the human skin and building facade, when designer try to save energy consumption from the building.

It broads our imagination of how building facade could be to secure the safety of the interior environment. It is constructed of layers of bone, muscle fibers, epidermis, vein and hair shaft, which can be transferred into the language of architecture as the main structure, secondary facade and supports,

and primary facade panels and supports.

While, the animal skin can do more thing than the pure architectural skin, since it can sweat to balance the extra interior heat, tighten the pores to maintain the temperature, the artery and the muscle will help to achieve it. The existence of hair shaft will lower chance of toxic mechanical entering the interior. Nerves are sensitive to the sunlight and absorbing the energy and healthy mechanical into the body.

Everything we have as our skin sounds so perfect as we need for our building facade and what if someday we can accomplish all this goals in architecture? The biological facade is filtering out the toxic particles and virus while it is keeping the interior space in good conditions. It reminds me of the reading Breathing in the City: Beijing and the Architecture or Air , where it says:” I don’t want to be a human vacuum cleaner.” It is a tragedy that one day breathing freely to people is an extravagant thing, and our lounges are used to filtered the atmosphere, which are thought more powerful than the mechanical dome over the kindergarten. It sends us the information that the natural organism is the most precious giving and design we can ever study from.

In the book and exhibition of Imperfect Health, it talks about the health of the urban and city scale. In the book, there is not a comprehensive survey of the relationships between health, architectures cities and environment, while it expresses the ideas of imperfect health situations emerging in the cities.

Just like human being, the heath of the city is not merely the absence of diseases, but in the state of overall well-being, from the point of physical, biological, social and also cultural aspects. As Le Corbusier said; Architecture is the key to everything. Architecture, in this case, is the cure of the city , detecting the health of the city and giving the city of

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liveness. Bringing back society of liveness and well-being, balancing out the man made with natural made is one of the main key to the cities. Just like like human body need to breath hard to exhaust out the waste, the city needs the deep breath too. In order to cure the city of deadness and giving the long lasting city, creating the object of breathing and moving is a trial to propose a new typology of architecture. To enrich the typology of lifelike architecture, Kengo Kuma and associates propose the project of Tee Haus.

In the description, he wrote:” Going one step further than “Defeated Architecture”, I thought of creating a “Breathing Architecture”. A “Defeated” architecture has a one-way passiveness towards the environment. “To Breathe” is to have an interactive communication between the environments. At times the architecture becomes small as it holds its breath, and at other times it breathes in deeply to become grander. A new dynamic style for the architecture was devised.” It is clear from his statement that Kengo Kuma is trying to achieve the breathing building that mutate and move, against to the still concrete piles.

In the project, light and soft material is used to contrast with the heavy ones.

In my thesis study, I am trying to create the living object imitating from the biology. The project is studying from natural object, coral. The way that it is sensitive to the ocean environment, and the way that it is not still, it is breathing but not as material breathing. Maybe it sounds ridiculous, but what if someday our technology can meet the imagination of the coral building? People lives in the space that is extensive, moving?

The interior volume space is not limited by the rigid material like concrete and bricks, but it is free to move, changing bigger or smaller.

It proposes a new typology of architecture which is moving responsive to the environment; different from the non-moving concrete or breathing material; looking back into the nature and creating the nature by tech. I would like to be one of them and therefore my research seeks to recreate a (lost) dialogue between nature and architecture. Hence, my challenge is how it is possible to let the contemporary static architecture turn into a living organism which can be a host for the nature. A living architecture that will respond.

Coral contribute to environment on its way. Coral reefs are important in determining the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Coral reefs need the carbonate to make the limestone. Bleaching occurs when coral become stressed by heat, cold, chemicals, or other factors . both the coral polyps and the zooxanthellae must also use oxygen through the process of respiration (the same process humans use in breathing). In the natural world, Objects are reacting to each other, and even the surroundings that they live in. . While, the concrete world we are in is still rigid and non-responsive. The coral architecture is the design of moving and breathing. Even though my building is not that powerful and responding back nature in such way, but it tries to giving back the city liveness and bringing back the imagination ofWhile, the concrete world we are in is still rigid and non responsive. The coral architecture is the design of moving and breathing. Even though my building is not that powerful and responding back nature in such way, but it tries to giving back the city liveness and bringing back the imagination of new type of architecture.

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“We must no longer see ourselves as the anti-natural species that merely threatens and eliminates nature, but rather as catalysts of evolution. With our urge to design our environment, we cause the rising of a next nature that is unpredictable as ever: wild software, genetic surprises, autonomous machinery and splendidly beautiful black flowers. Nature changes along with us.” ,by Rachel Amstrong. Human being is created by nature, and our wisdom is given by nature. We are part of nature ourselves. Nature changes us while we change nature in return. Instead of isolating ourselves from the natural beauty and limit in the world of deadly steel and concrete, we should broaden our imagination to the possibility of lifelike and energetic architecture, which tie ourselves back to

References: 1.Essay written by Rachel Armstrong for NextNature.net 2010 http://www.nextnature.net/2010/06/ self%E2%80%93repairingarchitecture/ 2. The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci (Richter, 1888) 3. Tea Haus, kengo Kuma and Associate, http://kkaa.co.jp/ works/architecture/tee-haus-2/ 4. Silk Pavillion, MIT Media Lab, Prof. Neri Oxman http://matter.media.mit.edu/environments/ details/silkpavillion 5. Dust Relief, Francios Roche https://www.designboom.com/interviews/ francois-rocheinterview/ 6. Bio-Concretion, Tobias Grumstrup Lund hrstrøm, IAAC http://www.iaacblog.com/programs/bioconcretion/ 7. Imperfect Health, 01 febbraio 2012, Montreal https://www.domusweb.it/it/ architettura/2012/02/01/saluteimperfetta.

the biology, science, technology and nature.

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