01 - Airy City: Healing After Geotrauma Location: Beirut, Lebanon Type: Urban Design Team mate: Shuyue Lei Instructor: El Hadi Jaizary Credit: Skywalk design - Zhuyu Shi, Housing design - Shuyue Lei, Rendering - Zhuyu Shi
On August 4th, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the Port of Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon, exploded, causing at least 218 deaths, 7,000 injuries, and $15 billion in property damage and leaving approximate 300,000 people homeless. This tragedy has left Beirut with an urgent need to recover from its damage. This project aims to build an urban structure on Ground Zero to heal the citizens physically and psychologically. It is light and ecological. While providing therapy for citizens, it offers ample possibilities for the reconstruction of the port.
Site Damaged Ongoing Repairs Repairs Completed
Damage recovering map until Jan 2022. The port has been almost completely blown up except for the silo. Buildings within 2 km of the center of the explosion were severely damaged.
Background
2013
2013
2014
2014
2015
SEP 23
OCT
JUN 27
JUL
OCT
The Rhosus departed with 2750 tons of ammonium nitrate from Georgia.
The Rhosus stopped in Port of Beirut. The government refused to let it leave.
Shipped abandoned by its Russian owner.
Ammonium nitrate was transferred to a warehouse.
Warning of danger by then-director of Lebanese customs.
Ammonium nitrate is a highly flammable and explosive material. The cargo ship loaded with ammonium nitrate was detained at the port of Beirut due to formalities. After receiving repeated risk warnings over six years, government inaction and ignorance of the risks were significant contributors to the explosion. The blast rippled through a large area, destroying 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the center. The yield was equivalent to about 300 to 100 tons of TNT
2020
2020
Explosion.
Fire started.
AUG 4, 6:08 PM
AUG 4, 5:40 PM
2020
2020
2019
2016
JUN 24
FEB
DEC
MAY 20
Lebanese public works minister learned the presence of ammonium nitrate.
Anonymous warning.
State secutity report of warning.
Lebanese Customs sent an official letter to the judiciary indicating the danger. But it was ignored.
The only remainings on the harbor that were not completely blown to the ground were the grain silos and a few buildings
Site Condition
Image Credit: Planet Labs Inc/AP
Comparison After & Before
Image Credit: Bilal Hussein, New York Times
Image Credit: Sarah El Deeb, AP News
The Silo
The Port
Issues & Responding Strategy Psychological Trauma
Physical Damage
300,000-people Homelessness
Infrastructure Damage
Damage to Transportation Economy
Protests
On Embrace’s helpline, 67% of the phone calls since August are from people in emotional distress, and 28% had suicidal thoughts.
Citizen are suffering stress since the COVID-19 caused economic crisis.
Strategies
Housing
Evironment
Recovery of port transportation
Transparency & supervision
Memorial
Gathering & Ecouragement
Emotional Interaction
Natrual therapy
Design Concepts 1. Airy Structure
Public super-
2. Housing Project
Storage Industry
Transportation
Commercial
The skywalk allows the public to look down on the harbor from the air, increasing transparency. The ground is left for the reconstruction of the port (about 20 years) to restore the original function.
image credit - Shuyue Lei
Providing instant shelter for the homeless, Silo is seen as a hero for its use as a shield to reduce damage during explosions. It was preserved, and temporary houses were built to provide shelter for people until the houses were repaired.
Plan The Purpose of Skywalk is to use environmental psychology to influence visitors’ emotions through their senses, bringing them a negative to positive emotional experience. In addition to visiting, it is also a daily passage connecting the port and the city. At the same time, green landscapes, interactive installations, and visual experiences can also enhance people’s emotions in daily life. The Airy Housing provided more than 500 prefabricated houses. Psychological Healing Experiencing Process
Lost: Maze
Memorial: corridor
Memorial: theatre
Calming: introspection
Calming: mourning
Couraging: gathering
Peace & safety: nature & cover
Joy: playground
Convinience & equity: stairs & elevator
Housing Types Based On Family Structures The Mist - Memorial Maze The Ruin - Memorial Corridor The Cloud - Memorial Archive The Mirror - Introspection The Temple - Mourning Space The Yard - Gathering Space Mount Beirut - Green Space & Cover Cedars - Sky Playground The Airy Housing - Sky Community
image credit - Shuyue Lei
Skywalk Moments
a The maze gives the feeling of being lost. Then, the downhill corridor will bring down people’s emotions and recall trauma.
b Bridges connect the visitor corridor to the ground and the urban facade, allowing non-visitors to travel faster without having to experience the memorial.
d The top of the remaining buildings becomes the pocket park and the entrance to the skywalk, bringing extra recreational spaces with green features for residents and visitors.
The mourning and gathering spaces are upper and lower floors, dividing the dynamic and static. Together with the bridge, it can extend the linear experience to three dimensions.
e The cover is abstracted from Mount Lebanon to encourage citizens with the magnificent homeland feature. Entrance structures are multifunctional.
c
f Cedar is the Lebanese national tree, standing for strength and confidence. It is an airy playground on the explosion pit, giving people joy.
Circulations
Visitors can have a coherent emotional experience from the urban facade toward the seaside. Residents of housing areas can also have efficient access to the city. The width of the flyover allows bicycles to pass. There are many entrances and exits connecting to the ground, and there are three pocket gardens so that the whole path is not linear but connected in three dimensions. Entrance Structure
Perspectives
Efficient Connection
Visiting Psychological Experience
Complex Path
Commercial Zone
Transportation Industry
The Mist
The Corridir
This place is a maze to create an atmosphere of loss. Fabrics hang on the ceiling, which consists of mirrors. Reflections intense the sense of loss while meandering through the maze. Some figures of crying people are projected on fabrics.
The material of the ruins is embedded in the walls of this corridor, and the first half goes down so that people would feel depressed. The holes on the top of the head simulate cracks in ruins. While going uphill and forward, more openings and light appears and less depressed you feel.
1
3
Commuting Path
2
The Cloud
The Mirror
This suspended structure contains a theater and archive. Platforms are hanging on the air for people to stay and watch documentaries or read. Details of the explosion and other traumas in the city’s history are documented here.
This scenic point consists of many cubics, allowing people to stand inside. Their material is the mirror-like metal panel, for people to see their reflections and feel their emotions.
4
The Temple
The Yard
This place is for people to memorize silently. The design of the temple comes from the ancient Lebanese temple. There is a skylight at the top, above the shallow pool. Light, rain, or snow falls in the water, creating a sacred atmosphere.
It’s for people who suffer from traumas to gather and support each other. Anyone can stay here talking and listening to each other.
5
6
Mount Lebanon
Cedars
The cover lets people feel protected, and there are plants along the sides of the skywalk. Nature is a proven method for emotional healing.
The playground is located in the explosion pit. The fun of playing is a straightforward way related to happiness. The sky-level structure also offers citizens a great chance to overlook and witness the recovering process of the city, to build up confidence with time. The cedar shape is a symbol of strength, growing from the wound.
7
8
Accessibility
Two entrance structure types, staircase (left) and elevator (right).
The main bridge has a gradient of about 2.6 percent, making it wheelchair-friendly.
Dynamic (passing) and static (visiting) separation: pink route for passing and blue for stopping.
Airy Housing
Moments
image credit - Shuyue Lei
image credit - Shuyue Lei
image credit - Shuyue Lei
Outdoor Spaces
image credit - Shuyue Lei
Perspectives
The Community
The Holiday Inn Miniature
Mount Lebanon Miniature
The community is with complex functions, giving people lovely life.
The Holiday Inn symbolizes the civil war, reminding people of the trauma. However, when people could live with the trauma in the airy housing, the trauma itself won’t hurt them anymore.
The miniature of Mount Lebanon was inserted into the Airy Housing. Lebanon’s natural landscape was integrated into the new life, providing residents and visitors a sense of peace and beauty.
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02 - Reborn Blocks Beneath The Overpass
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Location: Xiamen City, China Type: Urban Design Team mate: Xinyu Zhuo Instructor: Wenjie Chen Credit: Planning - Zhuyu Shi & Xinyu Zhuo; Landcape - Zhuyu Shi; Interior - Xinyu Zhuo; Modeling - Zhuyu Shi & Xinyu Zhuo; All graphic presentation - Zhuyu Shi*
Chenggong Avenue was built from 2005 to 2009 and became the main traffic artery of Xiamen Island. However, the urban village located in Xia Gang Street was cut into two halves by this viaduct, becoming two isolated islands surrounded by the bustling city and prosperous economy. Its internal space is highly dense, the landscape quality is low, there is little public activity space, and there is a severe lack of community vitality. At the same time, this urban village is surrounded by the most critical commercial, medical and cultural gathering places in Xiamen, with a large flow of people and a vast economic potential. The space under the viaduct currently contains only a bus park and a large brownfield. This project aims to use the gray space under the bridge to mend the cracks of the urban village, stimulate commercial potential, provide villagers with nearby employment opportunities, enhance community quality, improve accessibility to quality urban spaces, and create an urban aesthetic.
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Fair Port
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Commercial Area Hospital Temple Railway Park THE SITE Art Zone Natural Area Landmark Towers Xiamen University
The figure-ground diagram shows the urban village divided by Chenggong Avenue. It is close to the port and across the channel is the most popular tourist island.
* The graphic presentation was not required for this class but a 3d model. Therefore all images of this project shown in this portfolio are made by me individually.
Issues Current Conditions Land Use Primary School Waste Squares Parking Lot Residencial Buildings Community Center Commercial Buildings
Landscape & View Border Trees Clutter Trees and Shrubs Main View
Potentials Commercial Potential Hot area- Suitable for malls Stores along Streets Hot but Isolated
Ground-level parking lots and vacant land occupied economic opportunities in this densely-populated and popular visited area.
Aesthetic Potential Urban Aesthetics - Facades Pavement and Squares Aesthetics under the viaduct
Traffic Problem Dead Ends & Prohibited Turns Ways Not Allow to Cross
Ideal Traffic Model Vehicles are forced to make a detour for a long distance, since some directions are obstructed. However, with high accessibility and fewer detours, the rate of traffic jams and accidents will be lower.
Urban Strategies Replace the parking lot with a shopping plaza and build a garage parking underground.
Block the bus parking lot with gratings. Sunlight can be allowed in.
The supreme customer flow will payback for the construction cost.
Other facades can be blocked with walls.
And a shopping mall and farmers market under the overpass.
Change buildings along streets into commercial uses. Creating neighborhood employment opportunities
Planting design and Verticle greening
Storm management bonded with water feature landscapes.
Open more ways to disperse the traffic flow.
More blike lanes
More directions to turn into.
Section - Zonings The gray space under the viaduct was planned and repurposed. Meanwhile, the buildings along the streets were redesigned to be mixed-use such as shops, cafes and restaurants. Thus the community will be more energetic and attractive, with more employment opportunities.
Commercial
Multi-functional commercial building connected to the shopping mall.
Crossing Aisle
Commercial This is the most densely populated area in the city. The shopping mall integrating dining, entertainment and shopping can effectively promote the surrounding economy, and provide nearby jobs for residents.
Bus Terminal
Although the re-planned bus yard has been reduced in size, it can still park 25 buses simultaneously, which improves the space utilization rate and maintains the original functions.
Crossing Aisle
Community Gym
Entrance Garden
The original urban village lacked public activities. Community gyms provide a safe and open space for residents’ health, both a sports place and a socializing area.
The entrance garden is a small pocket garden for people to rest while beautifying the city and collecting rainwater.
Farmers Market The farmers market with complex fresh produce and groceries was not within walking distance from the urban village. A collective farmers market in this location will benefit the residents in surrounding communities.
Entrance Pocket Park This designed pocket garden acts as an attractive feature to guide people into the farmers’ market. And it is also a rest area.
Main Road
Traffic Circulation
Traffic toward west or south, or via the north one-way
Traffic toward east or north, or or via the south one-way
Traffic through the viaduct
Design Details The rainwater is collected into pipes with slopes of the roof, which is patterned by grooves in the walls.
Light trickles through gaps between the viaducts, and it is shaped into arrows through the skylight glasses.
Arcade building is a featured type in Xiamen. New structures follow this architectural language.
The garden has seats that are combined with planters and fountains. Plants divide it from the road.
Samples of Nodes
The community will be activated. Residents can see their home becoming what they were familiar with decades ago, but also quite different. The old spirit comes back. People can meet each other. Communication, gossips, prides, happiness, all come back. Synchronously, the noise, mess, waste areas are gone. People here can enjoy the cozier community with more income.
Street View
Considering the views and feelings of people, the materials on the facades, the pavement, storefronts, and the featured landscapes must be good-looking and comfortable to use. Some landscape notes must be interesting, to attract people.
Aerial View
Aisle Under The Overpass
Pocket Park InThe Rain
03 - Bio-vault: Titan-II Missile Silo Readaption
Location: Arizona, U.S. Type: Landscape Architecture, Architecture Instructor: Geoffrey Thun
Between 1963 and 1987, 54 Titan II missile silos were on standby in response to the Cold War. With the end of the Cold War, the missiles were dismantled. The silos are of no use other than the one in Tucson, Arizona, turned into a museum. In the deserts of Tucson, the other eight silos have also been transferred from top secret to properties for sale. The purpose of this project is to discover its re-adaptation opportunities. Inspired by nuclear fears, the project proposes the possibility: of using its high level of security to prepare for a post-apocalyptic reboot, make it a seed bank, preserve genetic information, and become an institute.
Site location and conditions.
Design Logic & Plan
Perspectives & Design Schematic
The first upper level is separated from lower levels, and only water and energy are shared. This layer stimulates an underground garden with “natural” light and rain to preserve rare tropical plants and birds. The sunlight is introduced underground through the light collector and the reflection tunnel. The water pipe can stimulate the tropical climate to spread artificial rain. The stairs spiral down against the wall, and there is an elevator. The pavilion structure does not provide protection, and the original heavy iron cover will be a functional shield in a disaster.
04 - The Harbour: Ecological Neighbourhood
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. Type: Landscape Architecture Instructor: Joan Nassauer, Hui Wang
The project aims to create a small community with ecological functions, good traffic flow, safety, and a beautiful environment based on site conditions. Carbon storage, water flow management, wind direction, sun protection, and type of house are essential considerations. The project creates a comfortable and environmentally friendly community considering the climatic conditions of the four seasons.
SITE PLAN Kroger
Retension Pond
Parking Area
Legend 1. House with 6 Units 2. Community Building 3. Clinic
Church Road
4. House with 8 Units
10
5. Traffic Calming 1
2
1
6. Play Ground
3
7. Drainage Garden 9
8
7 1
6
4
South Maple Road
5
8. One Way Road 9. Entrance 10. Exit Bike Lane Side walk
Cayman Sports
Church
Context
Design Effects
legend
Storm water
Traffic Circulation
Residential Super Market Commercial complexity two-way system
Catch Basin
One-way Road Sidewalk Bike Lane
Drainage Line Flow Direction
Highway Traffic flow (to site)
Jun. Shadow & Windbreak
Jan. Shadow
imgratary pathway Parking patches (Natural Parks) ponds 10 am
summer Decidous trees
254.6’
south
Conifer Trees
3 pm
Waking Accessible
Decidous Trees
winter sun light
Shade provided in summer
60’
14’
5’ 5’ 1.2’
21’
21’
21’
quiet zone
5’ 5’ 1.2’
14’
snow accumulation
47’
5’ 17.2’
5’
30’
5’
north
Conifers are planted on the north side of the building to keep out cold winds and snow in winter without blocking the sun. Deciduous trees planted on the south side have no leaves in winter, allowing sunlight to enter the house and providing shade in summer.
Perspectives
A Traffic calming area is set here be-cause car speed in the central part is higher than entrance. And it connects two major active areas.
A barrier that pre-vents cars from rushing into bike lanes
Catch Basin .3’ .5’
22’
.5’
Sand Pool Trees spaced 20 feet apart to ensure surveillance. Shrubs act as area barriers
Leisure Seats for parents Plastic particle soft pavement, high permeable Grass, sandy soil
Conifer trees (left hand) are with high porpsity to reduce the snow accumulation.
Ditch Line (Invisible with pitch pavement)
Dissable parking aisle
05 - Green New Community Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. Type: Landscape Architecture Instructor: Stanton Jones
This project uses the empty site to construct a larger community. These include public open spaces, condos, affordable housing, and mixed-use buildings. The traffic flow line realizes the separation of public and private while circulating, and the curved inner road prevents public vehicles from taking shortcuts. It is a high variety community with 29 tiny houses, 10 large fourplexes, 5 small fourplexes, 5 large duplexes.
Mixed-use building and plaza design
Strategy Urban Agriculture
Clean Energy
Small House
Water Management
Mixed-use Building
Life in Nature
Bio-diversity
Community Open Space
Small House Fourplex 1
Rooftop Garden
Swale
Play Ground Public Parking
Bio-Swale Duplex
Affordable Housing
Healthy Environment
Fo u r p l e x 2
Rain Garden
Exsisting Bank
Bio-Swale
Local Products
Mixed-use
Bio-Swale
Circulations
Sections
Mixed-use Area
Polination Garden
East Corridor
R o o Garden
f
Arcade
Bump & Pedestrian
Rain Garden Pedestrian
Vertical S t r e e t Parking
Horizontal Tw o - S t r e e t way Parking
Perspectives Corridor with Fire Lane
Welcoming Area
20 ft 22 ft 10 ft Bank Parking
Pe r m e a b l e Paving
Road Section A Traffic
Horizontal Distance to the Two-way Street Parking porch Road
South Entrance to Cmmercial Area
Plantation
14ft 20 ft 10 ft
10 ft
Road Section B
SOUTH
Stormwater
NORTH
Roof Garden
Club House
G r a p e
Roof Garden
The mixed-use area and the inner-community traffic are separated, but the sidewalks are connected. The roundabout gives the car a chance to turn back at the end of the parking space.
06 - Garden Design for Dana Building
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. Type: Gardening Instructor: Lisa Du Russell
Site Conditions
Shade
Plan
Water
Perspectives
Species Pallette
Structure Shurb Tall Medium Ornamental
Ground cover
Scientific Name Buxus 'Winter Gem' Panicum Virgatum Sporobolus capillaris Vernonia noveboracensis Matteuccia struthiopteri Juniperus communis var. depressa Hydrangea arborescens 'Ryan Gainey' Solidago rugosa Pennisetum alopecuroides (cassian) Achilliea x 'Moonshine' Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude' Senecio aureus Adiantum pedatum Phlox stolonifera 'Blue Ridge' Phlox divaricata Juniperus horizontalis Stachys byzatina 'Silver Carpet' Gaultheria procumbens Sedum rupestre 'Angelina' (Stonecrop)
Blooming Chart Structure Shurb Buxus 'Winter GeBoxwood BW Tall Panicum Virgatum Blue switchgrass PV Sporobolus capillPink muhly grass SC Vernonia noveboIronweed VN Medium OrnameMatteuccia strut Ostrich fern MS Juniperus commuGround juniper JC Hydrangea arbor Smooth hydrangeHA Solidago rugosa Goldenord SR Pennisetum alop Fountain grass PA Achilliea x 'MoonMoonshine yarroAM Hylotelephium 'HAutumn joy seduHH Senecio aureus Groundsel SA Adiantum pedatumaidenhair fern AP Phlox stolonifera creeping phlox PS Phlox divaricata woodland phlox PD Ground cover Juniperus horizonCreeping juniper JH Stachys byzatina lamb SB Gaultheria procu Wintergreen GP Sedum rupestre Angelina sedum SRA
Common Name Boxwood Blue switchgrass Pink muhly grass Ironweed Ostrich fern Ground juniper Smooth hydrangea Goldenord Fountain grass Moonshine yarrow Autumn joy sedum Groundsel maidenhair fern creeping phlox woodland phlox Creeping juniper lamb Wintergreen Angelina sedum
Jan
BW PV SC VN MS JC HA SR PA AM HH SA AP PS PD JH SB GP SRA
Feb
Quantity
31 45 46 21 19 6 11 47 44 31 166 89 106 182 202 5 250 263 1208
Mar
Light Full sun/ part shade-sun Full sun/ part shade-sun Full sun/ part shade-sun Full sun Part shade-sun/ full shade Full sun Part shade-sun Full sun Full sun/ part shade-sun Part shade-sun Part shade-sun/ full shade Full sun Part shade-sun/ full shade Part shade-sun Part shade-sun/ full shade Full sun Full sun Full sun/ part shade-sun Full sun/ part shade-sun
Apr
May
Water Dry-Medium Medium-wet Moist Medium-wet Medium-wet Medium Medium Moist Dry-Medium Moist Dry-Medium Moist Medium Dry-Medium Medium Medium Dry-Medium Dry-Medium Dry-Medium
Dimensions 4-6'w, 4-6'h 4-5'w, 3-6' h 12" to 36"w, 24" to 4'h 4'w, 5'h 5-8'w, 3-6'h 8-10'w, 3-4'h 3-4'w, 3-4'h 2-3'w, 3-4'h 2-3' w, 2-3' h 24"w, 18-24" h 1.5'w, 2'h 1'w, 16"h 1-1.5'w, 1-2.5'h 1'w, 1'h 1'w, 1'h 6'w, 6-8"h 1.2' w, 6"h 1'w, 3-6"h 4-6“w, 4"h (creeping)
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
07 - Other Works Zhong-ao Yacht Club - Landscape Design
Smart City - Rendering
Huli Transportation Center - Landscape Design
Renovation of brownfield - Urban Design
Interior Desin - Post Office with Cafe
Interior Desin - Real Estate Sales Office
Graphic Design & Watch Design
Digital Painting
Painting & Sketch