Brian Tien Architecture Portfolio SS 2018 (OUTDATED)

Brian Tien Selected Works 2018

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1-647-921-7763 16 Luba Ave, Richmond Hill, Canada btiendesign.com btien@edu.uwaterloo.ca

Hi, my name is Brian Tien and I am currently a third year architecture student at the University of Waterloo.

My Architecture and Design work seek to encourage healthy development in the community. My belief is that thoughtful design is a reflectance of a thoughtful lifestyle, which I pursue through improving my skills, knowledge and new experiences. I hope the following works depict so.

Thanks!

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Curriculum Vitae

Project Coordinator Duffy and Associates Design Build Limited Toronto, ON, Canada, Sept 2017- Dec 2017

Experience

Worked directly under Project Manager to detail and edit construction drawings, organize building of projects and coordination of overall constructino progress.

Performed tasks such as demolition, carpentry and finishing.

Architectural Intern HLW International LLP New York City, NY, United States, Jan 2017- April 2017

Involved with several commercial projects during design development and construction document phases tasked with updating revit and cad files, client presentations and renderings while providing design insight

Volunteer English Teacher AID (Assisting Individuals with Disabilities) Ruifang, Taiwan, July 2016

Taught English to a class of eighth-grade students at Ruifang Junior High School through interactive activities, field trips and games.

Designed lesson plans, worksheets and tests prior and during teaching period to cater to student’s abilities.

Education

Canditate for Bachelor of Architectural Studies, Honours Co-op

University of Waterloo School of Architecture, Cambridge, Ontario September 2015- Expected Graduation May 2020

Ontario Secondary School Diploma, International Baccalaureate Diploma Bayview Secondary School, Richmond Hill, Ontario September 2011- June 2015

Skills

Digital:

Rhino 3D, Revit, AutoCad Grasshopper, Houdini Maxwell, Vray Render

Adobe Creative Suite (Ps, Ai, Id,Pr) Microsoft (Word, Excel, Ppt) Laser cutting

Analog:

Hand Drafting Sketching Model Making Power tools trained

Languages:

English French Mandarin Chinese

Finalist- Eating: Alternative designs for restaurants

Awards

Non Architecture, December 2017

Honorable Mention- Nuclear Landmarker For A Waste Isolation Site competition, arch out loud, October 2017

Excellent Academic Standing

University of Waterloo Faculty Engineering, Cambridge Ontario, January 2016-April 2016

Recipient of the President’s Scholarship University of Waterloo, September 2015 4

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Not a city of angels But we can build a city of man -Jesus, Godspell

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Contents

Academic Bathing Zen Parkdale Library

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Competition Re(leaf ) 24 THE MAZE

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BUGGY-BOX 38

HLW

Work

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Bathing Zen

Project: Landscape/Masterplan Location: Ontario Place, Toronto Tools: Rhino, Photoshop, Illustrator, Model making

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Naturally filtered plunge pools

The objective of this design to provide unique contemplative bathing programs for relaxation and healing was inspired by the existing landscape of hills which creates private pockets in Ontario Place. During my time in Kyoto, I was fascinated by the unique ambience created in rock gardens through their framed views and paced circulation. I integrated a variety of floating and constructed wetlands which not only naturally filter water for the building’s aquatic activities, but also can be interpreted as a western interpretation of the Japanese rock gardens using local vegetation.

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early concept: physical model

early concept: bath typologies

site map 10

From the very start, I was driven by the design of a park which incorporates bathing, walking and other paced activities to inspire active meditation for the community of Toronto.

1 2 2

1. entrance 2. garden 3. physiotherapy gym 4. therapy offices 5. cafe 6. garden 7. pool reception 8. pool washroom 9. pool changeroom 10. lane pool

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plan 1

11. hot washroom 12. garden 13. saunas 14. plunge pool 15. garden 16. hot baths locker 17. hot baths 18. plunge pool 19. entrance to wetlands

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plan 2 11

I

c

a

a

b

b II

c

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III

section aa

section bb

IV

section cc

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detailed section I

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detailed section II

detailed section III

detailed section IV

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Different combinations of natural, constructed and floating wetlands not only create a natural escape from the city, but also create a walking experience that forces the user to constantly adapt to its surroundings.

RANDOM STONES

MATCHAI

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1. boardwalk 2. reflexology path 3. upland buffer 4. subsurface constructed wetlands 5. hor. subsurface flow constructed wetlands 16

6. walkway 7. seating 8. floating filtration plants 9. floating constructed wetlands

I integrated the traits of traditional japanese paintings with landscape systems to convey my wetland system inspired by the cha-no-yu: the Japanese tea ceremony.

TEA HUT

STONE BASIN

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10. natural filtered foot pool 11. stone seating 12. filtration system

13. informal seating 14. tea ceremony tools 15. viewing platform 16. hearth

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Parkdale Graphic Novel Library Project: Library Location: 1303 Queen St W, Toronto Tools used: Rhino, Maxwell, Photoshop, Illustrator

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exterior render

The Parkdale Graphic Novel Library offers a wide variety of comics and visual-based literature.

To reach out to the community and encourage interaction with the books, the library’s floor to ceiling shelves provide a new adventure at each corner. In addition to a variety of public and private reading areas, a computer room and a meeting room, the library offers a comic book studio where people of all ages from the community can come to draw and create their own comics. The design of this building was based on three principles inspired by the criteria of a successful graphic novel: visibility, layers and approachability.

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1st floor

2nd floor

studio space flexible seating private reading rooms hidden structure floor to ceiling shelves computer room conference rooms

wood shelf facade curtain wall

exploded axonometric

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3rd floor

4th floor

section fragment

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section perspective

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Re(leaf )

Competition: Bee Breeders Architecture Cannabis Bank 2016 Location: 4 Boswell Ave, Toronto, Canada Collaborators: Brandon Lim, Nicole Yip, Ruth Lee Tools used: Rhino, Maxwell, Photoshop, Illustrator

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exterior render

With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pushing for legalization recreational cannabis, its arrival seems to be inevitable. However, a significant amount of resistance against this topic is still present, and legalization must undergo a series of social and political obstacles. Thus, a dispensary designed to counter the stigmatization of marijuana in Canada, and other countries around the world, should cater to its transitional time period prior to legalization.

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1. threshold

2. fill

3. path

4. divide

5. shift

6. mimic

massing axonometric

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b

c

a

a

b

c

1st floor

2nd floor

section aa

section bb

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section cc

educational space

cooking class

consulting room hallway

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exhibition space

group counselling space

education room- axonometric study

Transitional Space The legal status of marijuana of Canada is unpredictable, thus the spaces of the dispensary are designed to reflect the evolving politics concerning legalization. In American states where recreational cannabis is legal, restaurants have demonstrated that using weed-infused cuisine to reach out to different members of the community have been extremely successful. The kitchen area seeks to achieve this, but is also part of the education room which can be divided to one’s desire with a moveable partition wall.

A: planter detail • soil • filter fabric • reservoir layer • moisture retention layer • aeration layer • thermal insulation • drainage layer • root barrier • waterproof membrane • concrete slab

B: wall-section detail • triple glazed fiberglass window • wood stud • sill • air space • tie • waterproof membrane • sheathing • rigid insulation • batt insulation • interior finish

A

C: ground detail • concrete slab with mesh • rigid insulation • coarse sand • crushed hardcore

D: footing detail • rebar • sill plate • filter sheet • waterproof membrane • rigid insulation • masonry wall • drainage pipe

B C D

detailed wall section

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THE MAZE

Competition: Nuclear Landmarker for a Waste Isolation Site Location: Carlsbad, New Mexico Collaborators: Zihao Wei, Thanh Tran Tools: Rhino, Photoshop, Illustrator Awards: Honorable Mention

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view from the sky

The Maze experiments with the concept of intimidating with architecture in order to keep away curious explorers unaware of the hazardous nuclear waste containing underneath it. The structure lures and taunts one explore it, only to become further trapped into its gradually constricting walls. This project accepts the reality that architectural forms changes meaning over time, and instead is designed to be an incubator for horror and isolation. Those fortunate enough to escape, will weave its narrative for the generations to come.

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CONCEPT

Spanning over almost a kilometer in diameter, the maze stands over nuclear waste , deterring curious travelers from venturing near its hazardous contents. Clad of weathered steel, the maze embraces decay, yet its durability will last for millennia.

SPAN At the center of the immense landmark lies a tall monolith, indicating the importance of its site. Explorers will try to solve the maze’s mystery, but with its vast distance and constant exposure to the elements, it becomes impossible to solve.

FORM Thus, the maze acknowledges what makes us human: curiosity. Like the Minotaur, it is a combination of the beast and its containment: an artificial structure which slowly fuses with the changing nature for millennia to come.

EXPERIENCE

The maze creates a claustrophobic and impossible journey to reach the core. By stimulating these traumatic experiences, the maze develops a legend: a mysterious eternal landmark forever indecipherable to humanity, regardless of how we evolve.

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What would the Maze look like in 200/500/1000/2000/10,000 years?

renders 35

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BUGGY-BOX

Project: Eating, Alternative Designs for Restaurants Tools: Rhino, Photoshop, Illustrator Location: Anywhere Awards: Finalist

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BuggyBox high rise structure

Families can buy a single BuggyBox for their apartment in Manhattan, or a small community from a remote town in Nunavut, Canada can invest in multiple units to create a sustainable protein farm. With the BuggyBox, the act of consuming food is no longer restricted by climate, location nor economics. The BuggyBox combines the farm, factory and the kitchen into one fully automated, mobile insect farm, thus giving customers the role of farmer, manager and chef.

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Customization

Assemblage/Installation

Incubation/Hatching

Instead of relying on a single large corporation producing meat of questionable quality and then transporting it to a local supermarket/restaurant, protein production sources can be dispersed throughout the city, existing quietly alongside its citizens. Depending on its use, customers can modify the BuggyBox with additional features, such as all-terrain robotic legs or a robotic kitchen system with its own recipe database.

computer hardware

rearing/ reproductive pod

multi-jointed robotic hands customizable kitchen set

battery nitrogen freezer

incubation pod

disposal box perspective section

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Rearing/Reproduction

Freezing/Preparation

1m

1m

Cooking/Serving

3m

1m

1m

2.2m

2.2m

2.5m

installation elevation 41

axonometric- remote village

Insects such as crickets don’t require light to survive, thus can survive in tightly insulated spaces. Community members can construct custom building envelopes around units so they can produce protein in areas where it is unsuitable for raising typical livestock.

axonometric- city

Due to insects’ effective protein conversion, low carbon emissions and lack of land/space requirement, the BuggyBox’s size is minimized to fit in the parameters of a typical scaffolding system, so it can be installed onto existing buildings.

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axonometric- future 43

HLW International LLP

Intern- January 2017 to April 2017

Type: Commercial, Educational

Location: New York City, United States

Tools used: Revit, AutoCad, Photoshop, Indesign

Canadian Consulate: Collaboration spaces

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During my time at HLW International LLP I was involved in both interior design and architectural projects ranging from designing and updating presentations for the renovation of a WTW office and the Fordham University. Working in primarily the design development and construction document phases, my responsibilities consisted of design development, 3D modelling, rendering and presentations.

Canadian Consulate: phone booth plan and section

Waiting room and Lounge for Willis Tower Watson

7th floor finish plan for Fordham university

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1-647-921-7763 btien@edu.uwaterloo.ca btiendesign.com

Thanks for your time!