AUGUSTINE WONG
PORTFOLIO
contents
Architectural Projects
01KOYAANISQATSI
02LATEFRAGMENT
03ROASTSAMONGST RUINS
Design//Build
04BYBONELAKE
Photography
05 DISPOSITION
Urbanism
06BATTLINGCORPORATE FIEFDOMS
ThesisResearch//Prep
07UPONASILICONSHIELD
KOYAANISQATSI
ARC363:PlanetaryGardens
AdobeIllustratordrawing,fall2023
Instructor:BehnazAssadi
ThisprojectwasawardedtheOntarioAssociationof Architects’InclusiveExcellenceAward Ko·yaa·nis·qatsi(fromtheHopilanguage),n.1. crazylife.2.lifeinturmoil.3.lifeoutofbalance.4. lifedisintegrating.5.astateoflifethatcallsfor anotherwayofliving.
CanadamustconfrontahistoryofviolentEuropean invasionandcolonialtransgressions.Onshared Haudenosaunee,AnishinabegandMissisauganland, DownsviewParkwastransformedthroughfederal appropriationformilitaryandaerospaceremediated throughterraforming.Landwasirreversiblyaltered, poisoinedwithde-icingagentsandmilitary contaminantsovertwocenturiesofcolonial ownership.Astheairportpreparesfor decommissioning,theFederalGovernmentplans gentrifiedresidences,symbolizingprofitextraction amideconomicchallenges.Koyaanisqatsirepresents lostIndigenouscultureandachanceforphysical reconciliationsimultaneously.
ACHANGEISPROPOSEDTOTHISSITE.
PlanofProposedIntervention|DOWNSVIEW AIRPORT,43.7369,79.4718 ACADEMICWORK
Detailedplan.
Repurposingtarmacforacommunitymarket, establishingagriculturalfieldsaroundairstrip, greenhousesaslibrariesformedicinalspeciesof nationalIndigenousimportance,andwindturbines forelectricalgeneration.Indigenousplantingof sacredplantsarecultivatedwithinnon-rectilinear forms.
Tkarontocurrentlyfacesseveralcrises,keytowhichisarealestatecrisis thatdrivesupthecostoflivingandfoodformany.Indigenouspeoples aredisproportionatelysusceptibletohomelessnessandfoodinsecurity, highlightingcolonialgovernance’sroleinlandoccupation.
AnurbanagriculturaloperationrootedinIndigenouspracticesaimsto empowerIndigenouslandmanagement.Fromtarmacredesignsto companionplanting,interventionsspantenyears,repurposingaircraft hangarsforfoodbanks,establishinggreehousesasIndigenous knowledgehubs,andreclaimingtheairstripforcommunitypurposes. FourimportantIndigenousmedicines—sage,sweetgrass,tobaccoand cedarareplantedincirclesacrosstheairfieldinaninterpretationof traditionalmedicinewheels.
CurrenturbanfarmsinDownsviewcover13hectares,feeding72 people.Theproposedregimeon520hectaresaddressesToronto’sfood insecurity,supportingover2600peopleandintroducingIndigenous cuisine.Beyondalandacknowledgementisaninterrogationofcolonial powertorestorelostIndigenouscuisineandculture.
Sectiondrawingofelevatedcircularmoundhostingconiferous anddeciduousold-growthsimulacra,aswellasgreenhouses actingasIndigenousknowledgehubs,housingspecimensof nationalIndigenousimportance.
BioswaleremediationonfringeconditionsaremaintainedbyCanadianbredArcottsheep.
LATEFRAGMENT
ARC201:HowtoDesignAmostNothing
RhinoandAdobeIllustratordrawing;physical model,spring2023 Instructor:ShaneWilliamson
TOFRAGMENT:tobreakup,orapartinto fragments.Acubeon90DevonshirePlaceis fragmentedusingformsintendedtoshape volumetriclightintostrong,angularexpressions. Theseformsaredirectedalongpathsofdesire, informedbythelandparcel’svoid-likequalities.
Foritsstressfulworkloadandacademicdemands,the UniversityofTorontogoesbyanickname: ‘UofTears’,tosome.BasedonproximitytoRobarts Library,thisstudyspacedividesprogrammesacross ascaleofsocialenergy,fromcommunalstudyspaces toaspacededicatedtospiritualrepose,and emotionalreliefthroughstress-crying.
ROASTSAMONGSTRUINS
TowardsaLocalisedItalianCoffeeCulture. Submission:UNFINISHEDCOLOSSEUM competition,organisedbyNon-Architecture
HonorableMention
Rhino3D,AdobeIllustrator,Photoshop, MedibangPro&V-Rayrender,June2024
Teammembers:AugustineWong,EmilySun, MinhHoang
Responsibilities:3Dmodelling,rendering, illustration,aggregation
THEYEARIS2074.Theworld’scoffeecapitals burnfromclimatechange:thebelovedbeansare reducedtoallbutnone.Exceedinglyrare harvestsareinevitablyassociatedwiththe spillingofblood.
THEROMANCLIMATEHASwarmedup, andarisingsealevelincreasesthelocalhumidity, transformingthecity’scoolwintersandwarm summersintoaswelteringtropicalparadise, whereheavyrainfalleventsthatwereexpected everyfiftyyears,arenowexpectedannually.
THECLIMATEHASFAILED—butthe partygoeson.Socialgatheringsrevolvearound espressos,whichtheaverageItalianconsumes fourtimesdaily.Amidstaglobalcoffeeshortage, coffeegrowingconditionsintheItalian heartlandbecomeright.Coffeebecomesthe collectiveculturethatdrawsItalianstogetherin acrisis.
RECALLINGTHECOLOSSEUM’SpostRomanvernacularworking-classhistory,from vegetablegardenstoproposedwoolfactory,the facadebecomesthesiteforaninstitution dedicatedtocultivatingandpreservingcoffee culture.Amodularscaffoldprovidesa frameworkforintervention,notonlywith modulesdedicatedtogrowingandprocessing coffeeforconsumptionincafes,butalso towardslong-termstudyhostinginternational coffeestrainsincutting-edgelaboratories,to formaknowledgehubtoadvancingcoffee’s resistanceagainstblightandclimatechange.
Juryremarks “Oneofthebestparasiticintervention ontheColosseum.Verywellpresented, strongstorytellingtheme.”|False MirrorOffice
Sectionviewofcomprehensivetypologiesacross theColosseum.
Growthbedsfor coffeearabica plantssituatedbesidethe Colosseum.
Researchfacilitymodulefor studyingvariousstrainsof coffeeblight.
ARC395:DesignBuildStudio Collaborativeconstructionproject,completed June2023.
Instructor:JayPooley
Responsibilities:Concretefoundation,wood framing&deckassembly,conceptualdesign
Design-buildprojectsofferedattheUniversityof Torontoareintensive2-weekcoursesthatseea designcarriedoutfromconceptiontoreal-life completion.
AtHaliburtonForest,ateamof20students designedtwooutdoorshowersfittedwithskylights, seating,anaccessibilityramp,andwoodenshutters thatprovideprivate,yetbreathtakingvistasofBone Lake.
Theshowersmimicsurroundingbuildings’ traditionaltimber-frameformandstructurebut visuallyseparateintotwodistinctforms.
BoneLake
Campsite
Longexposurephotographyonselfdevelopedblackandwhitephotographicfilm.
FeaturingperformanceartistClaireAllen,July2023
DownsviewAirportissetfordecommissioningby theendof2023.AsBombardierAerospace migratestointegratedmanufacturingatPearson Airport,Bombardierfacilitiesaresettobe redeveloped.Thetransformativearts&cultural authority,id8Downsviewinvitedfour photographerstocaptureremaininginfrastructure incurrentconditionsbeforedemolitionorreuse.
Builtin1954,thedeHavillandfirepumphouseis atinyspacecrammedwithhydroworkswhich snakearoundtheroom,orhoverabovethefloor. Whileitremainsinitsoriginalcondition.Itisnow usedasaninformalstorageshedforallkindsof things—decommissionedfireextinguishers, bicycles,andothermiscellany.
Latentenergyisembodiedwithinandunderneath thebuildingasamassivecatharsisofwaterduring emergencies.Thisinspiredlightpaintingasa performanceincontrasttostaticarchitectural photosininstancesofunsuspecting,powerfuland yetinstantaneousmomentum.
DOCORPORATIONS WIELDMOREPOWER THANNATION-STATES?
DOCORPORATIONS SUPPORTTHEIR EMPLOYEESTHROUGH REGULATIONSSETUPON THEMBYTHESTATE?
ORDOTHEY PROACTIVELYCREATE SOCIALSUPPORT NETWORKSINLEGAL JURISDICTIONSWHERE THESTATEFAILSTODO SO?
HOWCAN LEARNINGS FROMTHE EVALUATIONOF COMPANYTOWN DEVELOPMENTS INTHE NINETEENTH ANDTWENTIETH CENTURIESBE APPLIEDTO MODERN CORPORATEDOMINATED SETTLEMENTS?
2023LaidlawScholarsLeadership& ResearchProgramme
Mixed-mediaresearchpaper,summer 2023.
ResearchAdvisor:Prof.PeterSealy
Powerfulcorporationshaveusurped responsibilitiesofthenation-statetimeand before.Corporatedominationismorethana socialphenomenon.Italsomanifests architecturally,throughtheinfrastructureit occupies,includingbutnotlimitedto warehouses,distributioncentresandcorporate offices.
Inthe19thcentury,AmericanandBritish companiescreatedcompanytowns— communitiesdependentonacorporatefirm formosttoalloffunctionaltownlife,showing thatoverdependenceoncorporationsisnot new.Inaneoliberaleconomicrevival,are corporationsstillcapableofdominatingnoneconomicspheresoflife?Companytowns wereusedasagaugetoexaminetowhatextent companieswieldinfluenceovertheir employeesthroughphysicalinfrastructureand howcompanytownscanbemodifiedto reducecorporatedetriment.
Aninvestigationofmodernandhistorical companytownsensued,within-personvisits totwoAmericancompanytownstostudythe areathroughsketching,photographyand archivalresearch,beforereturningtoToronto forsecondaryresearchonLudwigshafenand SiliconValley.
Companytownsareinherentlyexploitative,but stylesofmanagementaremoresubversive; moreincentive-basedforskilledemployees. Whilethemostsuccessfulcompanies(BASF) hadbothblueandwhite-collarrepresentation onexecutiveboards,SanBernardino (Amazon)hadthepooresttrackrecordbyfar. Corporatemonopsoniescannotonlybe dismantledthroughpolicy,butbygranting workersconcessionsandestablishinggathering spacesfororganisingcollectiveaction.
Stitchedpanoramaphotooutside AmazonwarehousesinSan Bernardino,CA,USA.
Top:ExtentsofPullmanTown.
Below:Typologicalpresentationof averagehousingconstructionquality inPullmanTown.
Farleft:Conceptualdrawingof currentindustrialprocesseswithin Amazondistributioncentresbased onLGB5fulfilmentcentre.
LOCATIONS
Fourtownswereidentified,visitingPullman andSanBernardinoinpersonforanalysis.
Timeperiod/ factors
Tabularasa Takeover
Historical Pullman, Chicago, Illinois,USA
Ludwigshafen, RhinelandPalatinate, Germany
Modern SiliconValley, SanFrancisco, California, USA San Bernardino, California, USA
Stitchedpanoramadocumenting adjacentindustrialandhousing zonesinSanBernardino.
ProposedinterventionformicropavillionswithinAmazon distributioncentres.
UPONASILICONSHIELD
ConceptualdrawingofTaiwanesepowergridanditsdependentinfrastructurefrom perspectiveofTainanCity,TaiwaninrelationtoTaiwanSemiconductorManufacturing Company(TSMC).
ARC461:UndergraduateThesis(Research ongoing)
Rhino3D,AdobeIllustrator,ArcGISPro,vRay,AdobePremierePro.Sept-Dec2024.
Thesisadvisor:JeannieKim
UponaSiliconShield ismyundergraduatethesisthat interrogatestherelationshipbetweenTaiwanese nationalsecurity,itssemiconductorindustry,andthe latter’srequirementsforincreasingnaturalresources inTaiwan’spursuitforself-sustenance
Forthepast80years,thePeople’sRepublicofChina hasviewedtheRepublicofChina,Taiwan,asa breakawaystatethatneedstobereunitedwith mainlandChina,whetherbyforceordiplomacy. However,thiswillbecostlyandcomplicated,both militarilyandeconomically.
Taiwanhasleverageditssemiconductorindustryto becomeavitalassetandallytotheUnitedStatesby becomingthevirtualmonopolyplayeroveradvanced semiconductorproduction.Over60%ofglobal production,andover90%ofadvanced semiconductorsarecentredinTaiwanwithkey companiessuchasTSMCacrosstheisland.
Intheeventofaninvasion,Taiwanplanson destroyingitssemiconductorfoundries,toavoid Chineseuseofitsassets.Withonlyonecompany basedintheNetherlandsabletoproduceequipment matchingTaiwanesefabricationcapabilities,an invasionwillsetbackelectronicsproductionbyat leastadecade.
Evenwithoutaninvasion,Chinaisexpectedto produceonly2%ofadvancedmicrochipsby2032. Inanyevent,Taiwancontinuestostayrelevantby fullyleveragingitssemiconductorchokehold, innovatingsmaller-scaletechnologyassmallas2nm siliconwafers.
Taiwan’svirtualmonopolyonthesemiconductor industryhasmadeitirreplaceabletotheglobal economy,inwhathasbeennicknamedasa silicon shield.ThisisarguablymoreimportanttoTaiwan’s autonomy,thandefensecapabilitiesandUSsupport.
Annotatedplan&timelineofTaiwanandChina’s historicalrelationship.Respectivemilitarybases, infrastructure,andsemiconductorfoundriesare notedinthisdrawing.
ALLIES&ENEMIES:Factorssupporting TSMC’snaturalresourcerequirementsfor electricityandultrapurewaterconsumption.
Nationaldefenserestsonanindustryconstantly innovating,andconstantlyconsumingmore electricityandultrapurewatertoproduce.One foundrycanconsumeupto10milliongallonsof ultrapurewaterperday.
TSMCconsumesaround7.2%ofTaiwan’snational energygridoutputperyear,exceedingTaipei’s energyconsumption.
Asanisland,Taiwanlacksnaturalmineralandgas reserves,importing97%ofitsenergyneeds.While traditionallyreliantonamajoritymixofnaturalgas, nuclear,coalandhydropower,itsenergysecurityis shiftingtowardsarelianceonliquefiedpetroleum gas,andhydropower.
IntheeventofaChineseblockade,Taiwanbecomes reliantonrenewableenergyandhydropower.
Inareasreliantonhydropower,suchassouthern
Taiwan,TSMC’spower-hungrydemandspunishits neighbours.Sointenseisitsneedforwaterand electricity,thatonaverage,Taiwan’sreservoirsare emptyingthemselvesevery14weeks.Industrial productionisprioritisedoveragriculture.
HowcanTaiwancontinuetosupportitsagricultural interests,domesticwateruse,andagrowingindustry demandagainsttheparadoxicalbackdropoflimited, finiteresources?
TSMCdrawswaterandelectricityfromthecitygrid, whichemancipatesthesitesofproductionfrom extraction.Butasadesigner,canIdesignto compromisebetweenTaiwan’sbigindustriesand independentfarmers,ofwhichtheformeris undeniablychangingtheTaiwaneselandscape?
Taiwaneseelectricitytrends&mixovertime.
HOWTOMAKEAMICROCHIP DOCUMENTARY|13:42min
Tohighlighthowincrediblycomplicatedand technologicallyintensivetheproductionofa singlesiliconchiphasbecome,Icreateda shortfilmthatexplainsthemanufacturing process,whilealsorevealingTaiwanasakey industryplayerthatsuffersecologicaland self-sufficientconsequencesinitsquestfor independentsecurity,fromresourcedemands todrivingculturalupheaval.
howtomakea microchip
AUGUSTINE WONG
Toronto,ON Canada
+1-647-564-6489
augustine.wong@mail.utoronto.ca
HarvardGSDM.ArchApplication Portfolio