architecture portfolio

MENGYUAN ZHANG Selected Works from 2016 - 2020 E-mail: zhangmengyuan15271207@gmail.com 01 Death in Dailylife

Airbnb + memorial cemetery in the city of the dead

02 Rice Porridge Fragrance Garden

Resurface the memory of Jingxi Rice culture

03 Fill Life, Fill Architecture New collectivism housing

04 Down into the Rabbit Hole

"Not a machine for living, but the living escape" Urban rail transit station design

01 Death in Dailylife

Airbnb + memorial cemetery in the City of the Dead

Type: Academic Individual Work Author：Mengyuan Zhang Location: Cairo, Egypt The Level of the Project: Senior Carring out Date: 6/10/2020 Supervisor: Wei Huang Email: weihuang0301@gmail.com

The City of Death in cairo is a vast and complex group of cemeteries where lives cairo poor Egyptian community.

These habitants have developed a balance between between their daily life and the cemeteries.The Egyptians do not commonly relate cemeteries as a center of death but as a place where life begins.

In this project, I chose a small group of local house, built a small memorial park in the cemetery between these house for peopel to experience the unique concept of life and death, this project also have an airbnb in the upper part of the gap between the residents' houses for the tourists' living experience.

01

How Do We Deal with Death?

Mummy

Celestial burial

Design Strategy

Funeral dance

Memento Bone

Pyramid

Accompanying burial

Wierd Behaviors with Death

How to Deal with Death Calmly?

Find the Site There is a cemetery group in Cairo, there dead people buried in the ground, and living people live on the ground.

With the development of tourism, it has become one of the most famous slums in Cairo.

The City of the Dead, Cairo, Egypy

Slum

Cemeteries

Attractions

Site Situation

New Tourism

Memorial in the Cemeteries

Airbnb above the Slum

Generation Process

Cemeteries Tombstones can be seen everywhere, on the side of the road, in the house, in front of the door...

House been removed Home Cemeteries

Home The house was built in accordance with the style of folk houses, with courtyards, walls, gates, houses and tombs People's Activities People's daily life, such as work, play and family work are closely linked to the cemetery

Initial Site

History Evolution

Site Rearrangement

Airbnb Wall

969-1171 CE Fatima

Palaces to commemorate

1171-1250 CE Ayub Period

Construction made this area a miniature area

1250-1517 CE Mamluk

Cemetery urbanization

Recent Development Cemeteries become homes for the poor

The Wall Defines Memorial

Airbnb Attached to the Wall

02

The Door

Mourning

Sail

Infinity

Regression

Seperation

Eternity

Experience Process

These seven kind of spaces correspond to the hymn in the book of the dead. It means the seven experiences on the way to the after life. After through the door, the first hall is the mourning hall, It represent the nostalgia for life. The second hall is the space to infinity, where you have to thorough a narrow space before arrive to its center where you will reach to the infinity with the guide of the wall. The third hall is full of vitality again, you will be surrounded by nature, It's a harbinger of eternal happiness. The fourth hall is the space for seperation, you will be transformed into spiritual, and reach the door of afterlife.

03

Airbnb Floor 12 11

1 The Door

9

11

2 Mourning

12

10

3 Sail 4 Infinity

11

5 Regression 11

6 Seperation 7 Local Residents Home

9

8

8 Memorial Space 11

9 Co-Living Room 10 Airbnb 12

11 Co-Living on Roof

Tourists Flow

9

9

11

10 12

11

12 Bed Room

Ground Floor

Local Residents Flow

1

7 7

7

7

7 2 4 7

6

Airbnb Flow

3

Vertical Traffic Location

5

7 7

Change Direction of the Flow Flow Path

7

Three Kinds of Flow

0m

5m

15m

Tourists flow is mainly in the memorial space surrounded by the residence where the local residents live. Next to the tourists flow have stairs up to the co-living room of airbnb. From the living room, they can reach the rest room of tourists or the roof of the local residents where local residents and tourists can communicate.

04

Formation of the Wall

Death Journey In The Book of the Dead

Islamic arch enable people to through

+

People pray in niches

Osiris-Death

The Door

Forward

Sailing

Seperation

Regression

Ra-Eternity

=

The Book Of The Dead is writed to guide the dead into the after life, it describe the experience the dead have to bear and the roles to follow, nowadays, many egyptians still put this book in there relative's grave as a gift.

The Door

Wall provide space can also be through and pray

Variation of the Wall

Human Perspective

The Beginning

The End

I am surrounded by darkness Can't touch anything Can't feel it Except for the cliffs I stepped halting, testing the ground under my feet The explorer blindly enters

They are calling you, don't you hate The door is here You will see the beginning and the end at the another side of the hall They are calling you

You Are Where You Come From

05

Four Experiences in Memorial Journey

1

3

2

4

1 Mourning

2 Infinity

3 Regression

4 Seperation

The first hall is here,Don't you hate hear ,how many people crying around you You see how they sing and praise your virtue They are calling you

They are calling you, don't you hate The third hall is here Use your whole body to sing the spirit of the stars Because of the world under you Same as the endless sky Where light and shadow are evenly matched They are calling you

They are calling you, don't you hate The fifth hall is here Your knees are like aquatic plants There are countless birds as nests Your legs lead you to happiness Your steps are steady and unwavering They are calling you

They are calling you, don't you hate The sixth hall is here A big road unfolds in front of you The sky opens up a vast skyline for your meditation There have the purity your desires They are calling you

06

Daily Life Scenes

Explosion Axonometric Analysis

Memorial Space 1

Meterial concrete height 12m

2

The Wall Airbnb and Co-living on Roof

1 Memorial Wall 2 Airbnb Wall

Airbnb Roof

Meterial concrete height 0.8m

Life Scene of Local Residents

Co-living Room and Residents Home 6

Guests Room 5

Meterial concrete height 3.5m

3

4

Co-Living on the Roof

Corridor

Meterial translucent polycarbonate height 3.5m

Airbnb Floor 3 Co-living Room 4 Bedroom 5 Restroom 6 Corridor

Bed Room, Co-living Room and Local Residents Home

11 10 12

7

Ground Floor

Co-Living Roof

Meterial local clay brick

8

7 The Door Airbnb Interior

8 Mourning 9 Sail 10 Infinity 11 Regression

The Relation Ship between Airbnb and Local Residents' House

12 Seperation

9

Local Residents' House Meterial local clay brick height 3.2m

The three perspective drawings on the left show the activity space of local residents, the guest rooms of tourists and their shared living room. The relationship of these three kinds of space is to let them have the space to communicate with each other and have their own independent space without being disturbed by others.

The explosion analysis diagram on the right shows the relationship between the memorial area and airbnb and the cemetery and the houses of local residents. The memorial area is mainly enclosed by walls between the cemeteries. The airbnb is attached to the wall and is located on the houses of local residents.

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02 Rice Porridge Fragrance Garden Resurface the memory of Jingxi Rice culture

Academic Team Work Members:Mengyuan Zhang, Jiahui Liu Location: Beijing, China The Level of the Project: Senior Carring out Date: 10/6/2020 Supervisor: Cao Ting, Zhou Yinan Email: ynzhou@bjtu.edu.cn Personal Contribution: Design the logic of the entire structure, the node details and complete the entire model making and all drawings independently.

This project aim to define space by structure, tell the culture, history and ritual of Haidian with structure. Jingxi rice, as Haidian's unique cultural symbol, is a famous local cultural business card and identity symbol. Although the residents of the village of Six Langzhuang, where Jingxi rice was grown, their memories of Jingxi rice have not disappeared and every spring they still hold a porridge-drinking festival.

The pavilion, which serves as a canteen and venue space for ceremonies, daily meals, leisure, jingxi rice cultivation and processing visits, will be used to show jingxi rice culture and provide the necessary services to the community, as well as the place for the annual spring planting festival.

08

Form Generation

Site Context

Rice Field Scenery Architecture

Landscape

Interwaving of Architecture and Landscape

Module Combination

N

0m

10m

20m

Festive Porridge Dinner The subject aim to design a canteen integrated with the rice landscape for tasting rice porridge. It can also serve the daily life of residents. On Festival, people will hold cultural ceremonies here.

Days Related to Rice Porridge Spring Festival Harvest Festival

Rice Planting Festival

Winter Solstice

Ching Ming Festival

Festival Activities

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Combination1

Combination2

Combination3

Dining Area

Meal Preparation Area

White Dew

Moon Festival

Farming Activities

1

2

3

4

on season 5

6

7

8

9

10

off season 11

12

Placemaking Roof

Gruel

Rice

Eaves Structure Curtain Dining Table

Wooden Floor

Wood Column

Dining Curtain

Ground

Extract various living spaces of the venue and elements of festive porridge drinking and integrate them into a dining module. These Festivalthe Activities elements act as the medium of architecture leading to life.

Public Ceremony Area

These pictures show how to adjust from simple module combinations to deformations to final combinations and overall

Farming Activities

09

Exploded Axonometric View

Structure Implies Spatial Function

Entry

Cooking Space

Porridge Space

Relax Bar

Celebration Space

Wood Board 20mm Glass Roof

Wood Column 100*250mm Wood Beam 200*250mm Wood Purlin 100*300mm Curtain

Entrance Corridor Wood Floor Rest and Wait Green Grass Dining Preparetion Concrete Floor Dining Area Wood Tables and Chairs

This model photo shows the structural state after the combination of unit modules. By adjusting the scale and angle of the roof of each module, the harmonious connection between modules is achieved, which also makes the overall structure very stable, and the arrangement of columns can be more randomly arranged according to the function.

Relationship between Structural Components

Beam, Column and Purlin Overlapping Relationship Mortise and Tenon No Pillars

Aggregation Space Concrete Floor

Function and Structure Page 1 of 1

Page 1 of 1

+7.230M +5.450M +4.200M file:///F:/素材/tani最全图标素材/家具/家具-饭桌.svg

2020/12/28 file:///F:/素材/tani最全图标素材/家具/家具-书架.svg

2020/12/28

+2.100M +0.145M - 0.250M

This particular perspective photo shows a unique part of the structure: a pillarless part. This is due to the mutual support between the roof structures and the need for the permeability of the ground part, which realizes the structure definition space.

10

Festival Scene

煮

聊

粥

Making Porridge

闲

Rest

祝

喝 粥 节

Porridge Festival

Celebrate

庆

Daily Scene The first perspective generally shows that the activity area is generally a dining area, and the different structures of the roof and the ground of different materials jointly determine and imply different functions.

The seconde perspective shouws a bar located between the activity area and the dining area. It is a transitional area and a more flexible area. People can stay here and drink a bowl of hot porridge or sit here to watch the festival lively scene.

The first perspective generally shows that the activity area is generally a dining area, and the different structures of the roof and the ground of different materials jointly determine and imply different functions.

The seconde perspective shows a preparation space for porridge meals.

11

Daily Community Activity

Rice Culture Exhibition

Congee Festival Period

Ordinary Holiday

Multiple Uses of the Large Public Spaces This large space is very flexible, and the concrete floor is raised in a specific position as a base point for placing the table. In daily farming activities, tables are placed around concrete pillars as a resting platform for residents. People surround the tables and concrete pillars in a circle during the porridge festival, and when the exhibition is held, it will serve as a showcase for visitors to visit.

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Detail Drawing

1

12

2

3

4 17

14 13

1

Combination Connection of Columns 1

2

3

2

4

5

4

5

1 Purlin, 100*300 3 Beam, 100*300 5 Connection

7

2 Soft Wood Column, 100*300 mm 4 Hardwood block, 100 x 300mm

1 2

6 8

Combination Connection of Purlin 1 2

3

3

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

1 Purlin, 100*200 2 Steel, 5mm 3 Hardwood block, 50 x 500mm

13 9

14 15 15

10 11

16

16 17

Main roof purlin, 50*250 mm Roof panel, 50mm weatherboarding Iroko 40 mm Watt Embedded anchors Steel nail Soft Wood Column, 100*300 mm Hardwood block, 100 x 300mm Concrete slad Reinforced concrete ground beam Drain Nailing with metal gussets Wood beam, 100*400mm Dowelled web plate and ties connected via pins steel stiff, 20 mm thk Steel beam Eaves beam, 180 mm

This perspective shows a bar located between the activity area and the dining area. It is a transitional area and a more flexible area. People can stay here and drink a bowl of hot porridge or sit here to watch the festival lively scene.

Scale 1:50 This is a restaurant and bar located between the activity area and the dining area. It is a transitional area and a more flexible area.

People can stay here and drink a bowl of hot porridge or sit here to watch the festival lively scene.

This perspective is located in the dining area. Roofs, pillars and curtains of different sizes define a dining area. Different sizes can accommodate different diners.

The green space between the dining areas makes the building more integrated into the environment. The windy scenes and the fragrance of rice in the air make the porridge full of comfort.

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03 Fill Life, Fill Architecture New collectivism housing

Academic Individual Work Author：Mengyuan Zhang Location: Beijing, China The Level of the Project: Sophomore Carring out Date: 26/4/2019 Supervisor: Yinan Jiang Email: 18810356947@163.com

The project outlines two spheres of human life: live and work. The housing prototype proposes a community where all facilities of life are shared and located outside the private unit. The structure of the building is strictly related to the structure of living.

The housing accomodates peopel from across the spectrum and stimulates a mix to create a support network for the community in which the subject can be simulataneously the owner, producer and consumer of sapce. As Herman Hertzberger writes in his essay about structuralism, “the form can be filled-in with significance, depending on the use that’s made of it, through the values we attach to, or add to it, or which we even deprive it of.

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The Idea of Life Pattern

Site

The Cluster

T

B

K

T

Teachers' Family Residential Design

K

W

P Beijiao University

B P

C

China, Beijing

The Aggregation

T

B C

K

T

B

K

C

T

B

K

B

T

C

B

B

C

P

W

T

K

B

T

B

C

T

B

T

C

P

Sample Section

W

W

W

W

W

W

The Evolution of Chinese Collective Housing Before 1965

From 1965 To 1992

From 1992 To Now

From Now To Future

Economics Structure

Small-Scaled Peasant Economy

Government Driven Economy

Market Driven Economy

Knowledge-Based Service Industry

Space Structure

Family-Based

Danwei-Based

Comunity-Based

?

Features of the New Collective Housing

Adaptability

4. 2

m

Bethroom Core or Kitchen Core This Element is constituented by a private bathroom and a service related to the publice space,like a laundry

m 1.6

3.2m

Intergrated

Co-living Space Personal

RE

TH NG

EN

4. 2 INFLUENCE REACT

All rooms are arranged in a gradient that results in two faces of the building: one public and one private.

Equipped Wall It can be equipped by a wardrobes or bookcases

RA TE S

NE

NG T

HE N

Spontaneous

m

Isolated

TR E

ST

Work Space

G

TE RA

4. 2

3.2m

GENERATE

N CE LUE I N F R E AC T

Order

GE

K: Kitchen W: Work Space

m 1.6

Evolutive

New Collectivism E EN

C: Co-Shared Space P: Public Space

Constituen Elements

Family Living

STRENGTHEN

INF LU R E A EN C E CT

Private Space

Autonomy

B: Bedroom T: Tolilet

3.2m

Timeline

Shared

Under the basic living system of the collection housing, the integration of sharing and working housing forms a new housing model.

m

Movable Partitions transparent or opaque, these elements give the dwelling flexibility, changing the relationship between inhabitants

The proposed typology has a longgitudinal development and a simple structure that can be extended the dimension The proposed typology has a longgitudinal development and a simple structure that can be extended the dimension ,These elements can also be arranged in order to fit in the best way inside the site.

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The Bays

Sample Plan P2

P1

P3

P2 P3

C1 C6

C1

C5

Type 1 Private

W3

Type 2 Co-Living

Work

Connections Elements Composition C3 W1

Type 1

W2

W2

W1

W3

C1 C2

C1

C5

P P1 P2 P3

Private Space Bedroom Bathroom Kitchen

C C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6

Co-Shared Space Shared Living Room Shared Kitchen Library Shared Farm Cinema Coffee

W1 Multifunction Event W2 Meeting W3 Office 0

External Perspective

5m

10m

Private

Type 2 Public

Co-Living Space Private Space, Working Space

Type 1 Bathroom

Type 2 Kitchen

Laundry

Connection

Public Furniture

Top View

Housing is a sequence of equal bays framed by thick walls which contain all the fixed utilities(bathroom,kitchen). This disposition allows further collegial partitioning of the bays if needed.Following the bay's structure, secondary partitions can be built or disassemnled so apartments can grow or shrink according to the different needs of the inhabitants. The bay is also the connnection of private, public and work space.

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Private Unit

Co-Share Space

Working Space

The fixed space unit is a residential unit, but the occupant can also choose his length according to his needs.

The entrance and exit side of the residential unit is a shared space, which provides living services for residents and a venue for public activities.

On the other side of the shared space is office space and some studios.

Cross-Section

Arrangement The cross-section series of three frontal images illustrate a progression of spaces from a private room, through a shared living area, to work space. The co-living space combines work spaces and private with compact living quarters and shared social spaces, ranging from cafes and saunas to a karaoke room.

The proposed housing­accommodates people from across the spectrum and stimulates a mix to create a support network for the community in which the subject can be simultaneously the owner, producer and consumer of space.

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Overall Organizational Structure

Co-shared and Working Unit

Cinema

Coffee

library

Farm

Office

Shared Living Room

Shared Living

Meeting Room

Multifunction Event Room

Residential Combination

Seat waterproof Waterproof

Hard urethane foam Concrete slab

Waterproof CTL

Metal mortal Waterproof Concrete slab Concrete slab Birch plywood Partical board Floor Concrete slab

The residential is sequence of equal bays framed by thick walls which coutain all the fixed utilities(bathroom, kitchen,etc.)This disposition allows further collegial partitionning of the bays if nedded.

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Private Unit

Private Space Transformation Square 21.6m2 32.4m2 4.5m

23.8m2 36m2 5.0m

26.2m2 41m2 5.7m

42.5m2 53.3m2 7.4m

48.3m2 60.5m2 8.4m

55.8m2 70.6m2 9.8m

62.6m2 73.4m2 84.2m2

Installation of Doors

11.7m

74.1m2 86.3m2 95.8m2 13.3m

71.3m2 96.1m2 110.9m2 15.4m

This concept of habitation is 'evolutive housing'. Evolutive housing consists of spaces for habitation whitch follows as much as possible the transient nature of family living through years and decades. Contemporary of households include radically different ways of living that range from single to assisted living.

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04 Down into the Rabbit Hole

"Not a machine for living, but the living escape" Urban rail transit station design Academic Individual Work Author：Mengyuan Zhang Location: Beijing, China The Level of the Project: Junior Carring Out Date: 26/11/2019 Supervisor: Wei Sun Email: sunwei@bjtu.edu.cn

This project tries to Create a space from artificial to natural in a metro station.This subway station is located on the elevated section of the city center. It is an opportunity to create a highly sustainable development for citizens and its visitors, one that expands the notion of what a station can be, combining multiple urban functions in one structure.

This station is conceived as an above-ground extension of the underground world of tunnels. Commuters can follow a public path of escalators and lifts carved out of the building mass, to enjoy a range of facilities while overlooking the city’s skyline. A gym, spa, swimming pool, bar, restaurant and bar are distributed throughout the building. The combination of public access and mixed program make the station a fluid continuation of city life.

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Site

Negative Emotion in Subway

Lost

Lonely

Sad

Nervous

Anxious

The space on the subway is crowded and narrow, and people have a very poor experience during commuting time.

Inspired by 'Alice in Wonderland' 'In This World'

After Commuting

Direct Line

N The direct line in the station is the commuter line, and people can go directly to the platform and get on the train.

The White Rabbit-- The Guide

Extreme Activities

0m

50m

100m

The site was chosen as an interchange station for the Beijing subway line, with office buildings on the west side of the site, a railway heritage park on the east and south sides, and the fourth ring road on the north side. I hope that the station can play a role in tension in the site.

Search Line

Deduction

In the station people choose routes according to their preferences

The Rabbit Hole

The Entrance

Roaming Line

The large height difference makes the site closed, the accessibility is very low, and the flow of people is not convenient.

The design raises the main body of the station, and the ground caters for qualitative traffic processing, making the first floor more transparent.

In the traffic treatment on the first floor, the boundary is softened and placed into the hillside terrain, not only for traffic, but also for people to relax and entertain.

The main body of the station will be scattered into countless small functional boxes. It will become an open station. In addition to providing a transportation hub, it is also a place for commuters to find themselves anew.

Random movement without purpose in urban leisure space, people are here for more open activities.

'In My World '

Place to Rest And Dream

Station Flow

Design Intent Movie Screenshot from ‘Alice in Wonderland’

The slopes smooth the boundary of the site and bring vitality to the station. I try to use random hillsides to provide people with random routes.

The fragmentation of different functions inside the station provides people with diverse choices of life and activities.

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'What Is My Own World Like? ' Exits Design Purpose

+7.500M Plan

‘If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn’t be. And what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?’ Movie Screenshot from ‘Alice in Wonderland’.

The underlying activity function is basically divided into three parts, dynamic combination, so that people here completely open themselves, experience the beauty of the world.

Movie Screenshot from ‘Alice in Wonderland’

N

Exit 1 -- Extreme Sports

Exit 2 --Nature

1 Platform 2 Devices Room

3 Toilet 4 Exhibition

5 Bar 6 Terrace

0m

10m

20m

Exit 3 --Exhibition

View from the Park

22

'All Caused by Curiousity' Ground Plan

Cave Design Purpose

4

6

Exhaustion during the day make people's bodies stressed, and after the station's exploratory space, people's emotions are released, and this cave-like box provides a place for there body to relax, where can provide a private place to curl up inside.

The cave located in the earth is the original “home” of human beings. It not only makes people avoid the cold, rain, snow, sun and dangerous animals, but also forms a strong sense of shelter.

Movie Screenshot from ‘Alice in Wonderland’

4

6 4 6 5

4

5 6

6 6 6 2 4

2

1

1

3 3

4

4

2

Entrance

5

1

6 6

6

6

6

6

4

6

1 Devices Room 2 Storage Room

6

4

4

3 Service Room 4 Rest Cave

5 Elevator 6 Entrance

N

0m

10m

20m

Cave

Activity Gathering

Entrance

The Cave

Cave Section

On the ground floor, on a green grassy slope, people can relax, and there are many small cave-like houses inside the grassy slopes for people to rest in, providing a comfortable and safe

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Detail Drawing

Architecture and Environment

（measurement unit: mm）

400

Double Glazing Glass Sky-light

3700

Seat Waterproof Beam Light Iron Gypsum Boat

Double-Layered Glass

Gypsum Board Insulation Layer

3100

Metallrost Single Glass Steel Frame

Lightweight Concrete Insulation Layer Beam

4500

Light Iron Double-Layered Glass

Gypsum Boat

From the outside, the station is a long strip combination. People are engaged in various leisure activities on the hillside grass at the bottom. The colorful blocks lead people into wonderful places.

Steel Column

Space Level

Screen Bracket Steel

6800

Steel Beam

1200

Crushed Limestone Water Proofing Concrete

The box blocks are distributed at different elevations, bringing vitality to the whole block, and people shuttle between various functions to improve the overall entertainment.

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