ADAM CHEN
Selected Works 2023-2024
Shenandoah Retreat
01. SHENANDOAH RETREAT
2024 AIA Maryland Excellence in Design Awards Jury Citation
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia Architecture Design Studio II Semester: Fall 2023 Instructor: Ken Filler
The meditation retreat responds to its natural context in the Shenandoah Valley by carving into the existing mass of stone on the site. The subtractive design creates a sequence of distinct meditative spaces without imposing on the surroundings. The tunnel-like spaces, open to the landscape on the outward face, frame the views and create heightened experiences of nature and light.
Ground Floor Plan -1 Floor Plan
Meditation Space
The second space on the promenade culminates in the warm bath. Again, the light enters and the landscape is framed, but with new proportions.
02. DWELLING IN THE CITY
1121 H Street NE Washington, D.C.
Architecture Design Studio III
Semester: Spring 2024
Instructor: Adam Ainslie
Drawing from the surrounding architecture of Washington, D.C., the project embeds itself into the existing character of H Street, while also clearly establishing its own identity and a permanent presence. Concrete columns line the envelope at regular intervals, enclosing the building structure, and expressing the rigid grid and rhythm. This singular element at once defines the structure, facade, and experience of each individual unit. The residential floors sit above the commercial plinth, away from the adjacent building, in order to permit outward views and sunlight from all sides, and a terrace. All units are directly accessible from the central atrium.
Typical Floor Plan (Levels 3-6)
Each floor consists of ten units single-loaded along the circulation core. All rooms open up to Juliet balconies.
Clubroom/Terrace
The second floor contains the amenities. The tectonic expression characterizes each space, connecting every part to the greater whole.
03. STORY DISTRICT
1207 H Street NE Washington, D.C.
Architecture Design Studio III
Semester: Spring 2024
Instructor: Adam Ainslie
This proposal for the Story District headquarters and storytelling venue is conceived as a new public landmark and a pillar of H Street. Vertical fins composed of concrete masonry units define both the facades and interior spaces, giving the building a strong physical presence and sense of monumentality. The lines between exterior and interior, as well as structure and fenestration are blurred. The simplicity of form and materiality allows for the individual to project their own unique experiences and stories into the spaces. The event space opens with a folding glass door, extending the public realm into the building, and the storytelling experiences out into the city.
Longitudinal Section
Ground Floor Plan
Entrance/Outdoor Lobby
The monumental double colonnade defines the path to the entrance.
Lobby/Pre-Function Room
The fins, stairs, and light characterize the open space for public gatherings.
The light guides visitors along the mezzanine and into the event room.
Mezzanine
04. MONOCACY CAMPUS
I-270 N Frederick, Maryland
Architecture Design Studio IV
Semester: Fall 2024
Instructor: Julia Klineberg
This project is the second phase of the development of the Goodloe Byron Scenic Overlook, the education center. The education and visitor center together create a campus for gathering, events, and education related to the Battle of Monocacy. The new education center sits on the northwest of the site, oriented toward the prevailing winds, and views of Frederick and the battlefield. The building is separated into two volumes, divided by publicness, and connected by a central lobby along the main pathway, allowing for all functions to culminate in views of the landscape and be passively ventilated.
Site Plan
Continuation of path between visitor center
administration (private) education (public)
Separation of program into two bars
Access to all functions from central lobby
Views of landscape
Frederick battlefield
Second Floor Plan
Auditorium
Visitors experience lectures and events with a framed view of the Monocacy National Battlefield and Frederick as the backdrop.
Curtain Wall Section
6” concrete slab gravel insulation (R-15) glulam beam
metal roofing insulation (R-30)
concrete floor finish awning window spandrel panel insulation (R-20)
Event/Multipurpose Room
Located separately on the second floor, the event room is an open space elevated above the landscape, offering expansive views. The light floods through the timber structure.
05.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Independent Digital Photographs Zurich, Switzerland; Edinburgh, Scotland; Verbier, Switzerland; Banff National Park, Canada
