Architecture Portfolio for Work by XUANYANG CHEN

ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO

X U A N YA N G C H E N

selected works 2016-2020 Photographed in Taichung, Luce Memorial Chapelin, 2018.2

24 A Translation to <Metropolis>

C ATA LO G U E 2

2 Subterranean Housing

2019 autumn

12 2020 spring

24 2019 summer

32 An Open Library

'City---Suburbia'

_A Vertical Cul-de-sac

Individual Work

'The Crowd Machine'

_A Translation to <Metropolis>

Individual Work

'Outside---Inside'

'Vehicles---People'

2019 spring

_Subterranean Housing

Individual Work

2018 autumn

42 A Hybrid Infrastructure

'Original---Newcome'

_An Open Library

Individual Work

_A Hybrid Infrastructure

Individual Work

c -sa de ulC cal rti Ve

"Always design a thing by considering it in its next larger context—a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan" ---Eliel Saarinen

Original---Newcome Subterranean Housing As more and more youngblood coming to big cities, both these newcomers and original residents have to face the social problem that how to deal with the increasing Numerator (residents) and the fixed Denominator (limited land area). Instead of displacement, Subterranean Housing introduces a new way for Co-Living.

-As an Estate in the CityHousing estates, as well as the office buildings and public buildings, are a par t of the city. However, nowadays, most of these estates block the stranger away, isolated themselves from the city. Of course, considering of security problems, it is reasonable to lock these places up. Therefore, the city will lose its energy because the energy of the city all come from these estates. In addition, without f lowing, inside these estates, it will b e co m e a p o o l of s t a g n a nt wa t e r . Th e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e e s t a t e s a n d t h e c it y n e e d t o b e r e p a i r e d a n d t h e b o u n d a r i e s m u s t b e b r o k e n .

UPPER LEVEL

UNITS

STREET LEVEL

BEDROOM

STUDIO

SHARED SPACE SHARED SPACE

COMMUNAL SPACE

LG 1

STUDIO

GREEN SPACE

LG 2

GREEN SPACE

BEDROOM

STUDIO

SHARED SPACE

BEDROOM

SHARED SPACE

Circulation Renovation

MAIN FLOW

‘Subterranean’ means ‘existing, occurring, or done under the earth`s surface’.

LEVEL

Therefore, all the housing space will be underground, and the view of the original residents will not be blocked. Instead, for the original residents, the new housing space is more like a communal space, a garden that improves their living experience. For the newcomers, their living space is in the garden and the garden is the connection or transition between private space and the city. They will share the green space and the communal space not only with their neighbors but also with the original residents. In some way, this system will encourage the encounters and communications between Originals and Newcomes, faded the mental Boundary.

CONNECTION EXTRA CONNECTION

Golden Lane Estate, built in 1950s, is a notable council housing complex in the City of London. Although Golden Lane Estate is an old housing estate, the idea of open street level is very advanced. Without gates or barriers, the vagueness of boundary brought vitality into the estate. ORIGINAL HOUSING

LG 2

ORIGINAL

STREET LEVEL

LG 1

MAT CONCEPT PLAN

Surrounding section diagram

The idea of open street level will retained and it will have nothing but only for circulation in order to improve the circulation of the original residents. To fulfill this, the MAT pattern is undoubtedly the best choice for its fluid circulation and the convenience of creating new entrances. Although the strips are all perpedicular, other geometry shapes will be embedded into the gap as communal space.

-The Order of Geometry in Plans-

-Space Organization in Geometry -

The plan is the generator 'A plan is to some extent a summary like an analytical contents table. In a form so condensed that it seems as clear as crystal and like a geometrical figure, it contains an enormous quantity of ideas and the impulse of an intention.' Pure creation of the mind 'A possible definition of harmony, that is to say a moment of accord with the axis which lies in man, and so with the laws of the universe,---a return to universal law.' ---TOWARDS A NEW ARCHITECTURE, Le Corbusier

Circle HOMOGENEITY There is no corner in a circle space. No matter where you are, the experience and atmosphere are all the same. Giving people a strong sense of symmetry and equality, circle in plan is the consequence to harmony and peace. The Panthon, 125

Villa Carpa La Rotonda, Andrea Palladio,1592

CENTRALITY The center of the space is where the circle is. The wall around is almost the same, while the center must be unique and attractive. It is hard to divide small space in a circle. Therefore, circle is very common in theatre and plaza plan.

Square DIVISIBILITY A square can be divided into several equal small squares or several equal small rectangles. Therefore, square, or rectangle, is used a lot in functional space, such as living space and working space. The Altes Museum, Karl Friedrich Schinkel,1823

Villa Foscari, Malcontenta Andrea Palladio,1558

MODULARITY Vice versa, several squares can be combined into a big square. A façade can be composed of several small pieces, and a society can be composed of several s m a ll u n it s . M o d u l a r co m p o n e n t s a c c e l e r a t e t h e process of construction, even the process of design.

Symmetry

Phillips Exeter Academy Library, Louis I. Kahn, 1972

Palace of Assembly, Chandigarh, India, Le Corbusier, 1962

A symmetric space is not only easier to design and build, but also easier for people inside figure out the orientation. A symmetric building will express a strong atmosphere of power and solemnity. Therefore, most of the public buildings and government facilities emphasize on the symmetry of the façade. Also, easy to organize individual space inside is another advantage.

Hybrid

National Assembly Building, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Louis I. Kahn, 1982 5

Break the boundaries of circle, square and symmetry, and combined them poetically. With the development of technology and revolution of people`s ideology, s p a ce n o m o r e h av i n g t o b e co m p o s e d o f c i r c l e and square, no more having to be symmetric. More and more dynamic shapes strike on people`s traditional taste of aesthetic and the use of space.

Communal Space First inspired by the dome of the Panthon and Andrea Palladio`s theory of architecture ratio and harmonic geometry proportion in classical architecture, then resonated with Louis I. Kahn`s Eclecticism, the combination of Solemnity of Classical Architecture and Radicalness of Modern Functionalism. All the dynamic shapes in Plans are based on the grid of the original site. The simple circles and squares create interesting communal space to embellish the perpendicular units and circulations. 6

STUDIO 1&2

STUDIO 3

STUDIO 4

STUDIO 5

STUDIO 6 & SHARED ROOM 1

STUDIO 7 & SHARED ROOM 2

SHARED ROOM 3

SHARED ROOM 4&5

-Room TypeLIBRARY

GYM

Due to lack of sunlight in subterranean area, all the units are well considered how to gain more sunlight. Therefore, glass ceilings and openings are widely used. Some of the units on can also have delicate private yards or balconies. In addition, a three-storey library with a small cafe and atwo-storey gym with a swimming pool is added to site in order to improve residents` living standard. The original gym is also improved.

STREET LEVEL PLAN

SECTION A-A`

SECTION B-B`

C B

SECTION C-C`

SECTION D-D`

LG 1 PLAN

CONSTRUCTION DETAIL OF SECTION B-B`

AXON SECTION DRAWING Excavating instead of Building Therefore, Say no to columns. Nothing to do with lightweight.

City---Suburbia A Vertical Cul-de-sac Grid pattern in a City is all about Junctions while the Cul-de-sac emphasizes on the dead end. However, is it possible for the paths to always end in green space? Whether a journey through green space could be the transition from the chaotic world to the poetic home?

G IN LK A

15 MI N

M IN

W AL KIN G

Private Cell Private Cell

Shar ed Sp

Communal Space

ri c et

et ri c

ri c et

Program

WAL KIN G

et ri c

10 MIN

ace

From City to Suburbia

a ev ul

Instead of the traditional grid pattern in a City, cul-de-sac is undoubtedly the most common pattern in Suburbia.

KING WAL IN 5M

In Suburbia, Nature is dominant. People moved into suburbia to seek for nature and privacy. And cul-de-sac fulfills people`s Suburbia Dream.

Private Cell Shared Space

Private Cell

Communal Space

Green Space

Communal Space

Shared Space Private Cell Private Cell

In Ville Radieuse, Le Corbusier divided the center Paris by perpendicular avenues and lifted highway. On the opposite, cul-de-sac is famous for its high adaptability to the environment. The design of cul-de-sac is originally based on the car scale, not human beings` scale. Therefore, residents in cul-de-sac have to own a car because of the poor walkability. For a visitor, it is even more difficult to comprehend and navigate because there is little apparent structure, no unifying elements, no clear describable pattern. Moreover, it is usually tiresome in its repetitiveness.

Private Cell

Green Space

Shared Space

Communal Space

Program

Private Cell

ul ev

ar d

Figure Ground map of New Barnet New Barnet is at the North London, a large residential area with lots of Cul-de-sacs. The site locates in the north side of the center of New Barnet, which is full of greenery space and large empty playground. The railway tracks are right next to the site, so access to central London is fairly easy. The only problem is the homogenisation of the houses here. Walking through this neighbourhood is like walking through a maze. Therefore, is in urgent need of a creative, landmark housing estate to activate the neighberhood.

Private Cell

Communal Space

Grid pattern in a City

Shared Space

Private Cell

Shared Space

Green Space

Private Cell

Communal Space

Cul-de-sac

Verti-Cul

GREEN SPACE

Second Floor

VILLA

CONNECTION

EXTRA CONNECTION

GREEN SPACE

First Floor

UNITS UNITS

UNITS

>Greenery STREET LEVEL

Pilotis

The first floor is lifted in order to get the transparency to the nature. Just like normal cul-de-sac, the vertical cul-de-sac has collector road but for human beings---the center core. The unwalkable curvilinear road is replaced by vertical elevators and short connection bridges. The end of the path is always greenery. Thanks to the lifted first floor, the ground level has plenty of space to have gardens and nature landscape. Pe o p l e ca n t o u c h t h e n a t u r e m o r e easily. The privacy is increased with the higher floor levels, just like the privacy is increased with the longer distance to the collector road in normal cul-de-sac..

MK III

MK IV

Add one two more floors on the top and six connection bridge on the ground floor. The idea is to have vehicles on the ground floor and no vehicles on the bridge.

Adding more types of units and unifying the style of each unit. In addition, The overall structure has also been simplified.

MK V

MK VI

Test the feasibility of different unit types. With the idea of a n e x a g g e r a t e d b o d y structure, to represent the power of a large structure like a sculpture.

Give up the idea of the connection bridge on the ground floor and unify the whole building in order to lose weight.

Structure Reference

--- raise the building and thus have more backyard space and the option of transparencies

GREEN SPACE

UNITS

UPPER LEVEL

Fluid Circulation <

Blades became circulation cores with a garden at the top of center core. The garden is quite huge that almost blocks the ground floor from sunlight.

GREEN SPACE

UNITS

STREET LEVEL

Rings overlay on the ground floor housing and are divided by blades. The Tower has a center core and ground floor corridor.

VILLA

LEVEL

UNITS

MK II

VILLA

VILLA MAIN FLOW

Put cul-de-sac in Section and in the scale of human beings

MK I

Geisel Library by William L. Pereira

A center core with expanded concrete structure arms lift the building above.

Geometry Since each vertical cul-de-sac is a separated building, the main structure skeleton and organization is almost the same but allow for some potential changes and choices. The main geometry is circle not only for the equality but also for the access to the sunlight. A unit in circle plan with windows on both sides always can have sunlight no matter what the orientation is.

Axon Master Plan

Site Section A-A``

Site Section B-B``

Roof Plan View

Interior Green House

Roof Garden

Higher Floor

E a c h t o w e r w i ll h av e e it h e r exterior garden or interior green house at the top. They are not only the additional public activity space, but also the extension of the nature in the site.

The Forth floor is for luxury private villas. They all have private own entrance and the highest private view of the site.

Center Core

(Lower) Ground Floor

A Center Core has either an external circulation system with additional communal space or an internal circulation system with green house top. Under the tiny green house, they are floors for public use.

There is either a gently slope or a landcape lake. This was originally designed to leave enough space for greenery at ground level.

Lower Floors

Blades

From the First floor to the Third floor are all Studios and Lofts. In contrast to the privacy focus of the upstairs Villas, these three levels have flowing circulation and circular corridors to create a friendly, lively community atmosphere.

These blades are the secondary circulation cores. All staircases are built around a central lift, for the benefit of residents with reduced mobility. At the same time they serve as separations between the large residential areas and as a link between the interior spaces of the tower and the natural world outside.

Underground Floor

Opening

The underground floor is the parking lot for the residents who own private vehicles.

Some of the Verti-Culs have an opening for extra sunlight and bringing more greenery outside into the tower.

Secondary Circulation Core

Exterior Roof Garden

Tiny Roof Garden Main Circulation Core with communal space

Lake Parking Lot

Units

Axon Circulation Flow Exploded View

The structure of the tower appears to be very complex, as a resident has to travel a long distance from the ground floor to reach his own private space, with two cores, two lifts and a bridge. The reason for this design is to give a sense of ritual to the simple action of returning home, allowing residents to return from the chaos of the outside world to the poetry, privacy and quiet homes, acting as a slow transition.

Blades

Opening

Forth Floor Plan

Floor II

Floor I

First Floor Plan

Unit Type I---Villa

Unit Type II---Studio

Unit Type III---Loft

The Villa will have a twofloor-high balcony, the largest private outdoor space in the three types. The living room/ dining room also has a twostorey high ceiling, allowing for more vertical space throughout the villa. The villa has 2 bedrooms on the second floor, which is suitable for a family of three.

The Studio is the smallest type of three. However, windows on the both sides are designed as much as possible in order to have enough sunlight inside and leave no space totally in darkness. Even it is the smallest one, but it has two outdoor activity space at two sides.

The Loft is smaller than the Villa but with two floors, which provides enough private space for each family member. It has two bedrooms but one of them can be transformed into a study. The Loft is suitable for a single or a couple.

Floor I

Floor II

Floor I

Fifth Floor

Mezzanine

Forth Floor

Third Floor

Second Floor

First Floor

Ground Floor LowerGround Floor

Parking Lot

Verti-Cul Section II

without an opening

The Section shows the interlayer relations of the Verti-Cul without an opening. The tower has 8 upper ground floor and 1 under ground floor as the parking lot. The combination of greenery space and living space is wellconsidered to ensure each units, lofts and villas has enough greenery and outdoor space. Due to the multi-layer design, the amount of staircases and elevators is a little bit too much compared to an ordinary housing estate. However, the route of taking elevators or staircase is also designed as a special journey, a slow transition from the external world to the internal living space.

Verti-Cul Section II with an opening

Middle Second Floor

This collage of section shows the solution of the Verti-Cul with an opening. Compared to the one without an opening, it has more public activity space in centre core and two additional public viewing platform space at two ends.

Middle First Floor

Render View

waterproofing insulation 100mm furring strips cavity for wiring and piping 30mm wood roofing

wood flooring furring strips waterproofing underfloor heating system cavity 30mm concrete slab 200mm

Model I

Model II

Technological Section

<Metropolis> by Fritz Lang

Made in Germany during the Weimar period, Metropolis is set in a futuristic urban dystopia and follows the attempts of Freder, the wealthy son of the city master, and Maria, a saintly figure to the workers, to overcome the vast gulf separating the classes in their city and bring the workers together with Joh Fredersen, the city master. The film's message is encompassed in the final inter-title: "The Mediator Between the Head and the Hands Must Be the Heart".

<The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind> by Gustave Le Bon

In the book, Le Bon claims that there are several characteristics of crowd psychology: "impulsiveness, irritability, incapacity to reason, the absence of judgement of the critical spirit, the exaggeration of sentiments, and others..." Le Bon claimed that "an individual immersed for some length of time in a crowd soon finds himself – either in consequence of magnetic influence given out by the crowd or from some other cause of which we are ignorant – in a special state, which much resembles the state of fascination in which the hypnotized individual finds himself in the hands of the hypnotizer."

The Crowd Machine ---A Translation to <Metropolis> Inspired by Fritz Lang`s film, Metropolis, the design is the translation to the film, aims to let people realize the different characteristics of the crowd when exploring several meaningful space related to the film. In the meanwhile, as a warning, the exploration tells them do not lose themselves in this eraof information explosion. All the characteristics are extracted from Metropolis and Gustrave Le Bon`s book, The Crowd, and translated into architectural elements. 24

Burned Fake Maria

Worship Maria

Scene 2: Underground Grave

Fake Maria instigated riots

Suggestibility and Credulity

Scene 3: Pillar in Fire The Impulsiveness, Mobility, and Irritability of the Crowd The Exaggeration and Ingenuousness of the Sentiments of the Crowd

Realized Fake Maria was a Robot

-Plots-

The Emotional Change of the Working Class

Restless /Boring

Repetitive work

Calm

Scene 1: Huge Machine - Ruins The Intolerance, Dictatorialness, and Conservatism of the Crowd

Furious

Flood ruined their home and children

Grieved /Regrettable

Angry

The fight between Freder and Inventor

Fearful

Overwhelmed

Scene 4: High Tower - Final Stage

Relieved

The Ruler and the Worker shaked hands

The Morality of the Crowd

-Formation of Space-

Repetitive Endless Lose oneself

Maze

Leading Cogent

Temple

-Chapter One : Seducement-

Paranoia

Suspicion

Bossiness

Gallery

Bridges

-Chapter Two : Divergence-

-Chapter Three : Deterioration-

Conservatism Uncontrollable Servility

Cave

Spike Wall

-Chapter Four : Struggle-

-Chapter One : Seducement-

BARREL DOME AND COLUMNS

Temple

Leading, Cogent

STAIRCASE

STEPS

Great church at the end

The underground grave

Tiny individual working space

The strong impression of divine symmetry and peace identified itself as a temple of spirit, telling people to calm down

The classical symmetric staircase, as the emblem of a strong guidance, welcoming people to go further into the crowd.

A pool of high steps constrained people`s routine, just like the daily routine work. It seems like people have choices, but actually not.

Guided by the exaggerated classic staircase, people need to find their own way on the tall concrete steps. Simply decorated classic columns let people calm down and together with the curved ceiling, give a sense of power and stateliness. The space shows how cogent and attractive the leaders or the aims are when being in the crowd.

FALLING SPIKES

ZIGZAG WALL

Upper class controlled and monitored the whole city.

Lose oneself in the entertainment and luxury.

The spikes on the ceiling, the Sword of Damocles, stands for the monitoring of Upper Class. All the things you do is showing in the camera, as there is no privacy in the crowd. With the falling ceiling, g i v e y o u t h e p ress u re a n d p u s h y o u f o r w a rd .

Being in the crowd, no one know exactly where they are, just like in a Maze. The zig zag shape, not continuous partition wall split the crowd, preventing forming small group. The leader will never want the crowd to be clever in order to control them easily.

People went underground carefully.

Maze

Repetitive, Endless, Lose oneself As the Entrance, four long slopes guide people to the underground world, stands for the slow process of getting involved in the crowd. At first, people will not find anything wrong in the crowd, but with time going on and as soon as touching the bottom part, it is always too hard to go back.

The zigzag shape wall represents the repetitive a n d e n d less w o r k , w h i c h co n fu s es t h e c ro w d a n d l o s e t h e m s e l v e s . To g e t h e r w i t h t h e ceiling, the wall are also gradually decreasing in height, leading one to the next space. Light comes from the ceiling and creates confusing, overlaying shadow on the ground.

-Chapter Two : Divergence-

SLOPES

Highrises in the Upper Class world. S c a ff o l d s i n h i g h d e n s i t y g i v e them an illusion which fascinating people and attracting them to get close and have a look. The scaffolds are like the slogans and benefits that the crowd be introduced. The structure is very simple and easy to understand, like a kind of brainwash. SCAFFOLDS

Highways among highrises.

Massive tunnel and iron gate

Winding bridges lie on the massive beam crosses, connecting the Maze and t h e Te m p l e . T h e b e a m s are supported by tall co lu m n s , s t a n d i n g i n t h e deep unknown dump space.

The huge industry-use escalator now works as an elevator for human beings to go to the deeper space. Scaring machine noise makes people feel nervous.

CONNECTING BRIDGE

DENSITY CHANGE

OPEN ESCALATOR

The gate to the underground world.

Huge vetical elevators

Machine was eating workers.

The further you go under the scaffolds, the denser the scaffolds are. With the space getting smaller, you will be scared and afraid of get trapped, just like the adventure ina new cave. In addition, the d a r k n e ss w i ll s w a ll o w y o u s o o n because of the blocked natural light.

The steel elevator will with trusses stands for the industrialization, transporting people from upper classical temple to the rusty industrial world.

Carrying on the idea in the movie, a heavy gate, which is also look like the mouth of a monster, telling people the next space is extremely dangerous for human beings.

VERTICAL ELEVATOR

HEAVY GATE

Went downstairs one by one.

The narrow suspension bridge forced people to go one by one. Unfortunately, with the strong wind blew up by the huge fan under, the bridges are shaky and dangerous. SUSPENSION BRIDGE

The Babel in the story

Bridges

Cave

Suspicion

The opening of the chimney i s g e t t i n g s m a ll e r a t t h e t o p . Pe o p l e a r e l i k e t h e f r o g s i n t h e w i ll , s t a r i n g at the sky, the impossible aim and can do nothing but raising their heads.

Above the huge fan, walking on a suspension bridge is very scaring. The more people are on the bridge, the more shaking and dangerous the bridge is. Different entrances lead to different exits. Telling people it is unstable and risky to be in a crowd, as if one walking on a shaking suspension bridge.

Conservatism, Servility

LADDER

After climbing up the ladder, people find they are in a space with many irregular holes on walls and ceiling, as if they are in a cave. Lights come from these holes and make people do not know where to go, representing the conservation and servility of the people in a crowd when they lose the leaders or the aims.

HOLES IN THE WALL

Climbing up the ladder

Helpless and lost people

At the end of the spike wall corridor, the round ladder is the only exit for people. A l t h o u g h t h e la d d e r i s a little dangerous, people will climb up without hesitation in order to escape from the underground world.

Multiple random holes in the wall stand for the multiple choices and aims for the crowd when they lose their leaders and guidance. Some of them are the right exits, some of them are too far to get them.

CHIMNEY

Gallery

Paranoia, Bossiness With massive gears and belts, feeling like being in an old machine, people may find it uncomfortable with the incoordinate scale comparison between the machine and human being. Standing on a conveyor belt, poeple cannot move backwards. The space shows the paranoia and bossiness in the crowd.

-Chapter Four : Struggle-

Machines in the factory Compared with the huge gears, human beings are too vulnerable. GEARS

Spike Wall

Uncontrollable

Instruments that out-of-control

SOLID STAIRCASE

SPIKE WALL CORRIDOR

NARROW

Scrambling to climb up

Facing the original sin

Escaping from the flood

Repetitive embedded concrete staircase with open ceiling guides people the way back to the over ground world. The steps are narrow and the crowd is congested, telling people that how eager they are to seek light and hopes.

The spikes look sharp and dangerous, warning people not to get close to the wall. People here need courage to face these spikes, just like facing the original sin, the devils in the movie. A very strong guidance and constrain for people.

The corridor will get more and more narrow at the end, which meaning the s p i k es a re g et t i n g c los e r and closer to the people in the middle. At the end there is only one choice, one exit for them, just like people i n a c r o w d w i ll n o t h av e the right to make a choice.

The gradually narrowed wall with spike shape decoration forces people to go to the end, as if people cannot chose their own way or quit when they are involved and stuck in the crowd. At the end, there is a ladder to the next space. Lights come from two sides, only lighting the spikes.

In front of the uncontrollable fan, people are so pale and useless. HUGE FAN

Rows of obedient workers.

-Chapter Three : Deterioration-

Falling into the Slide, people cannot stop or escape from it. SLIDE

-Scenario Reduction-

-Section-

‘Don`t Suicide!'

‘What are my workers doing?'

‘Someone must take care of that machine!' ‘I will!'

‘How come there is no end to ten hours of work!'

‘Go up!Eacape from the Flood!'

Outside---Inside An Open Library Solid, secure, densely…these are the words that usually describe a library. Long time studying in an enclosed space always leaves people a bad impression of studying in a library because of the silent atmosphere and the still air. The proposal is all about how to explode the solid library into pieces and blow in the fresh air and greenery, the blossoming in a stone.

<Site>

PRIVACY

CLOSENESS

NOISE

Internal and External Relationship Improvement

Transition Thick walls isolate the inner space from the outside greenery and trap the people inside. Of course, people studying in the library need to concentrate on their works. Therefore, darkness and clear walls may be the best choice for them, but this concentration can only last a little time. Soon, tired and dizzy is the only feeling. Greenery is crucial for long time studying, which explains why the seats by the windows are always popular. A transition space between enclosed space and open greenery space is necessary. As people going to outer circles, the solid wall becomes glass wall, and the privacy, noise and closeness decreases.

University Space Organization Improvement

Dormitory Library Church Proposal

Guidance To find a room in a building is always much more difficult than to find a building in a block. People` s walking flow in an enclosed space is chaotic. Some buildings inside are more like a maze, which cost people a lot of time to figure out where they are and the destination they want to go. However, if we can break the whole into parts, there is no outer boundary wall and simplify the single small building into one or two single function. People will not lose their ways anymore. In addition, connecting bridge between each two small building can tidy the chaotic walking flow. The single small buildings themselves act as the guidance.

The Library locates in the South Campus of University of Liverpool, surrounded by teaching buildings and lecture halls. Dormitories and apartments are all around the campus. There are three libraries nearby, one is in the North Campus and the other two belong to two different universities. Therefore, students and teachers are the major visitors and most of them walk to the library. The Library consists of two wings, the southern wing---the Groove Wing provides the collection of books and the northern wing---the Abercromby Wing provides plenty of study space, connected by a narrow connecting building. The proposal is only for the Abercromby Wing---study space.

NATURE

Lounge

Gate

Standardized Library Block

Mobilized Ground Floor

Nature Invaded

Blocks Connection

Rotation for landmarks

Balcony for natural infiltration

Modified Main Circulation

Multifunctional Private Blocks

Nature-transparentized space

Meeting

Lounge

Computer

Garden Meeting

Studying

Office

Studying

Library

Cafe

Office Gate

Library Reception

Gate

PRIVATE

PRIVATE Gate

Reception

Cafe

PUBLIC

NATURE

Borrow

Study

Professor

Staff

Borrow

Citizen

Staff

Study

Original

Improved

The Abercromby Wing, one of the two main blocks of Sydney Jones Library in University of Liverpool, is mainly used by students and professors for studying and reading purpose. However, due to its traditional structure and layout, the inner space is quite crowed and depressing. Furthermore, there is no green space or exposed balcony for people to refresh themselves. As we all know, after long time studying, people will feel dizzy and have no learning efficiency. Therefore, enough green space or exposed balcony is quite necessary for a library. In the original floor plan, if people want to refresh themselves, they have to get out the private space and go through the public space to get outside, which is a long distance for them.

In the new circulation proposal, the public space will be involved in nature, so that the distance between private study space and nature can be as closed as possible. People just need to walk few steps or even raise their heads to enjoy the beauty of nature. In addition, shown as two different dotted lines, the Abercromby Wing will no longer be open to students and professors, even citizens and passerby can use some parts of the building and enjoy the green space inside, becoming an essential part of the neighborhood indeed.

Professor

Passerby

The original study space of Sydney Jones Library is a simple symmetrical standardized block. In its neighborhood, due to the heavy solid material, the whole building look like a massive barrier stuck in the middle of green space, not welcoming at all. According to Le Corbusier`s works, Pilotis will be introduced to mobilize the ground floor. Despite of the circulation advantage, the lifted ground floor will not only have more natural elements and landscape later, but also leave space for multifunctional leisure activities and exhibitions. In order to achieve nature-centralization, the original block will be separated into four main blocks by invaded natural elements. Although the area utilization ratio will be lower than before, the inner space will not be depressed and crowed any more. Of course, bridges or other circulation methods are necessary to connect these four blocks. Here a circular ambulatory will connect four blocks, and the central space will be certainly left for the central garden.

As an important member of its neighborhood, the ambulatory is rotated to face two famous local landmarks--- Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral and Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool. In addition, the rotation makes the façade more dynamic and create two unique balconies infiltrated into the small garden. Because of the rotation, the circular ambulatory will be transformed into parallelogram shape instead of the original rectangular shape. The four blocks will be separated into six function blocks. Reception and the entrance of the book collection is located between the study space and books collection, connected to one of the six blocks. At last, the proposal naturetransparentized space is around the six blocks, faced inner garden atrium or the small garden outside. Window blinds and ground glasses will be applied to shade or defuse the direct sun light.

Section A-A`

Split Levels In plan, zoning can be done by the different materials of partition walls. In section, split levels will enhance the privacy between each section, especially for meeting rooms and private peer study rooms. Frosted glasses will be applied to these rooms not only to protect personal privacy, but also to diffuse the direct sun light. Although split levels need more staircase and circulation area, those space can be multifunctional, and provide people for extra special communication and resting area. There is a multifunctional sunken plaza in the front of the café. If there is an exhibition, it can be transformed into exhibition area quickly. On the ground floor, the garden in the middle will play the most important role, attracting people nearby and improve the satisfaction of people in the library. Above the open multi-activity playground, thanks to the garden in the middle, two lecture rooms enable people to have lectures or performance surrounded by nature. 37

The North-East Block is mainly used as offices for professors and staffs. Inclined floor plan will give the office more sun light and follow the shape of central ambulatory.

Th e S o ut h -Ea st B lock i s d i vi d ed i nt o t w o p a r ts. The North part are computer labs. The South part is mainly the reception on the ground and first f l o o r , a m u l t i f u n ct i o n a l s p a ce o n t h e t o p f l o o r where can hold small exhibitions or examinations.

The North-West Block is for meetings and lectures. The North side is divided into eight small meeting rooms. Staggered floors are used to enhance the privacy. The South side has two lecture halls for lectures and performances.

The South-West Block contains Forty-four differentsizes private study rooms. Because of staggered floors, the corridors are in special dynamic. Several staircases form special unregular leisure space.

Ciruculation Plan

Render 1

A platform, which connects four blocks, will locate in the middle of central garden and hided in the shadow of trees. Around the garden, glass walls will protect main blocks from rain and strong wind. However, the platform has no wall or canopy, totally exposed in nature, giving people a feeling of being in a real forest

Render 2

The corridor between small peer study chamber enjoys plenty of sun light. Because of irregular orientation and size of chambers, the shape of corridor is very dynamic and the chambers themselves give people a strong sense of layers. Great drop in height will leave people an unforgettable impression. Frosted glass will be applied to each chamber to ensure personal privacy and diffuse the strong direct sun light.

Second Floor Plan

Vehicles---People A Hybrid Infrastructure Since the first vehicle was built, vehicles had to hide in the dark, humid and rusty parking lot, which were always underground. Now, vehicles need to have a stage to show off their aesthetics and people need to learn how to live with an open parking lot.

'City Anticipation'

'Infrastructure as Capacitance'

With the fast expansion of the scale of the city, people rely more and more on the traffic and infrastructure. City highways and metro lines are built everywhere, and the image of the city is changing rapidly. Some people want the city to go back to the nature while some people want to have more traffic infrastructure. So nowaday, how the traffic can improve people`s daily life better?

Ville Radieuse by Le Corbusier

Haussmann`s Plan of Paris

Le Corbusier`s Plan of Ville Radieuse

Plan of Shanghai

Although Haussmann`s renovation o f Pa r i s w a s v e r y c o n t r ove r s i a l when it was open to the public, the radical network of new boulevards is still astonishing and unique today.

H i s p l a n w a s e v e n m o r e r a d i ca l than Haussmann`s. Paris would be divided by the traffic network, which was in strict order, symmetric and standardized, into small pieces. The traffic network would rearrange a l l t h e b u i l d i n g s i n t h e Pa r i s .

The plan of Shanghai looks more irregular. Except for the three main circle highways, most of the highways and roads are influenced by the buildings on both sides. The traffic network is naturally growing.

'The Increasing Current needs Capacitances to stablize.'

Capacitance Anti-Ville Radieuse Instead of the radical, strict order, symmetry and standardization of Le Corbusier`s idea of Ville Radieuse,a city need to have its own identity and residents in the city will have their own, different lifestyle, not like a machine. Haussmann`s plan could be considered as a good example because he not only made Paris unique and fascinating, but also improved the situation of the old Paris and remained its characteristics. Zoning should be done by the natural development of the city, the residents themselvs, not by the perpendicular highways or trainlines. Traffic SERVES people`s life, and ADAPT to the city, not rules it. Therefore, the proposal will introduce a method that how traffic can get involved in people`s daily life better.

A city is like a huge, complicated CIRCUIT. Residence area is like the battery, providing continuous electricity to the city. CBD and business zone are APPLIANCES, which consumes the electricity every day and the traffic is the CIRCUIT itself. However, with the booming population in the city, the traffic is worse and worse, as the CURRENT increases and the CIRCUIT becomes unstable. The CIRCUIT now needs a CAPACITANCE, as the city needs a spillway, a special parking lot, and that is the design all about.

'People to Vehicles'

Hierarchical Relation Nowadays, most of the parking lot is underground. Why vehicles have to stay underground and people can live aboveground? This hierarchy is unfair, and a waste. To the people who live near the highway, the life with noise and light pollution is terrible. The drivers have to go to the underground to start and park their vehicles. The experience there is not always comfortable. In addition, the long ramp will occupy a huge amount of land resources, which could be used for greenery.

'Parking Evolution'

Traditional Parking Lot

Stereo Parking Lot

Traditional parking lot is composed of lanes and ramps, and usually underground, which costs a lot of money and land resources. Drivers have to go up and down in the loop and seeing the same concrete wall. In addition, it is always quite annoying and boring to climb the endless ramps and find parking space and exits.

Stereo parking lot consists of car lifts and mechanical parking space. The whole parking process is operated by machine and computer. As a method of parking, it is the most efficient and convenient way for people. Furthermore, stereo parking lot can save a lot of space without lanes and ramps. However, there is no driving experience for drivers, like a kind of barrier between vehicles and people.

Hybrid Parking Lot

Equality

If the parking lot is aboveground, it can be a transition between the highways and the buildings. For the highways, it works as a exit, or a rest station. It helps relieve the pressure of heavy traffic. For the people in the buildings, it helps block the noise. With the connecting bridge, people can pick up their vehicles aboveground instead of going to the underground. Furthermore, the open street level will return much space for greenary.

Hybrid parking lot combines the advantages of traditional and stereo parking lots. Upper floors are stereo parking lots, providing more space for people` s activities, such as shops and restaurants. Lower floors are traditional parking lot in order to bring in the vehicles from the highway and provide driving activities. Two parts are connected with car docks.

'Site'

East-West Huaihai Road Daily Volumn: around 10,000 vehicles

'Overall Framework'

VEHICLE PROGRAM OUTDOOR SPACE INDOOR SPACE PEOPLE CIRCULATRION VEHICLE CIRCULATRION

ROOF GARDEN with two ramps R o of t o p multi-use parking space

East-West Yan`an Highway Daily Volumn: around 35,000 vehicles

LIFT

Isolated exhibition s p a c e South-North Nanbei Highway Daily Volumn: around 100,000 vehicles

STEREO GARAGE North-South Nanbei Highway Daily Volumn: around 50,000 vehicles Integrated with the viaduct

Temporary parking space for drivers to have a rest

DRIVE-THROUGH RESTAURANT

Pick up point West-East Yan`an Highway Daily Volumn: around 40,000 vehicles

3 MINUTES` DRIVING

METRO STATION

6 MINUTES` DRIVING

SHOP

9 MINUTES` DRIVING

SITE

MAIN VEHICLE SOURCE 47

West-East Huaihai Road Daily Volumn: around 10,000 vehicles

Located in the centre of Shanghai, the site is by one of the main viaducts in Shanghai. Although there were two ramps nearby, there is no down ramp for the cars from the Northern part of Shanghai. In addition, due to the cross at North is one of the busiest cross bridge in Shanghai, there is always a serious traffic jam during the rush hours, which is a nightmare for the drivers. To the pedestrians, the site is on Huaihai Road, one of the most famous spots for sightseeing and shopping and located in the middle of two metro stations. Ideally, a site located near a metro station or a huge parking lot is always welcoming.

Lift for vehicles with drivers and passengers LIFT

Fluid ground floor vehicle circulation

The proposal provides drivers a unique way to get off the busy viaduct to have a rest or even meal or shopping. Simultaneously, a huge parking lot for people who will visit this building or the shops nearby. Also, the local can benefit from this building, too. 48

1 4

7 3

VEHICLE CIRCULATION AXON

ISOLATED ROOFTOP EXHIBITION SPACE

RESTAURANT

CAFE

ROOFTOP GARDEN

OBSERVATION DECK

ISOLATED EXHIBITION SPACE

SMALL MEETING SPACE

MULTI-USE SIDE ISLAND

PEOPLE CIRCULATION AXON On the floors below the viaduct, the circulation of people mainly takes place in the core part of the whole building, surrounded by vehicle ramps. However, the side island part and some additional platforms locate at the façade. On the floors above the viaduct, the circulation of people mainly take place around the stereo garage in order to provide them a better view with plenty of indoor and outdoor exhibition area and restaurant. The rooftop garden offers people a green space in the sky.

Vehicle circulation divided into two parts. The first is the stereo garage, which provide the most of parking space. The stereo garage is in steel glazing frame and open to the public, not as usual. Vehicles are also a sequence of beauty and need to be shown off. In addition, the lift of the garage is not just for vehicle, but also for the drivers and passengers inside, like an avant-garde vehicle deck.The second is the ramp circulation for the drivers from the viaduct. Most of the circulation are ramps and paths with limited temporary parking space for the drivers to have short break. Integrated with the viaduct and a drive-through restaurant, the circulation seems to be a little complicated. However, the open circulation of vehicles is also a unique view and experience for the visitors. 50

5 3 4

SECOND FLOOR PLAN

FIFTH FLOOR PLAN WITH VIADUCT

PICK UP POINT

CAFE

TEMPORARY PARKING SPACE

LIFT FOR VEHICLES

DECK

OUTDOOR CHATTING SPACE

LIFT FOR VEHICLES

DRIVE-THROUGH RESTAURANT KITCHEN

RAMP

SIDE ISLAND

LEISURE PLATFORM

SECTION

This section perfectly shows how vehicles and people cooperate and integrate with each other. Not as usual, the building can not be simply divided into two parts-parking lot and shopping mall. Vehicles provide people convenience and open space. People bring vehicles more nature light and the audience who can appreciate the beauty of vehicles. In addition, the atrium in the middle not only give the vehicles from the viaduct a view of sky and sunlight, but also create the sense of vertical city- a living system in the sky.

Perspective View The building is integrated with the viaduct, which means the noise problem is inevitable. Therefore, plenty of green space is provided. Because there are lots of open plaza in the building, the sun shading façade is used to give people a better experience when they were using the open space. In addition, the façade has the contrast of solid and void. The close part, or shaded part is for people, and the open part is for vehicles. 54

selected works 2016-2020 Photographed in Taichung, Luce Memorial Chapelin, 2018.2