YUNAN CAI
Master of Urban Design
University of Michigan
Taubman Collage of Architechture and Urban Planning
2023 Candidate
01
Imagining Urban Spaces During Epidemic
Location: Guangzhou, China
Area: 3.4 ha
Institution: Studio Alpha, academic Instructor: Shirley & Joyce Zhu
Cooperation with Zhen Qin
Role in the team: design stategy, modeling, presentations and drawings. Period: 08.2021—12.2021
In 2021, during the Covid-19 epidemic, the Chinese government required all persons from outside mainland China to implement a 14+7(14-day centralized quarantine & 7-day at-home quarantine) quarantine policy when entering mainland China.
However, how much freedom of movement should the returning overseas travellers can get in the hotels they are isolating? Are they only allowed to stay within their room, or they can move freely within a certain area? How to identify the scope of a certain space that can guarantee collective life safety for larger groups of people and assure physical and mental health of the quarantined people? Among the isolated, minimum to none inclined to develop Covid-19. Therefore, creating a public space that can be used during isolation, while ensuring everyone's health safety, so that they can enjoy certain amount of social activities while being isolated, rather than being confined to the room, as outlined through scientific and technological means.
Highway
River
Green Space
Quarantine Hotel
General Hospital
Guangzhou
Hotel Distribution in
Outbreak InitialStage Burst
StableStage
Overseas Personel
Strategy
Overseas isolators in Day 8 to Day 14 are determined to break the traditional isolation through the combination of prevention measures and psychotherapy measures.
TREATMENT
01 Open-air Theater
02
Sensory Garden
05
Waterscape
The flexibility and vitality of water can meeet people's hydrophilic needs.
03
Activity Square
06 Isoated Footpath
Small dots are marked on the footpath to remind people of the isolation distance.
04 Medical Service
07 Medical Service
Medical services are provided in the activity area to prepare for emergencies.
08 Distance Prompt
09
Independent
The floor shows the track of activities through color, reminding people to keep distance. Independent seats are set in every corner of facilitate people's private activities.
People sat on the lawn steps and watched the colorful performances in the open-air theater. People sat on the lawn steps and watched the colorful performances in the open-air theater. The activity square is marked with separation area to ensure the distance between the participants. Medical services are provided in the activity area to prepare for emergencies.10 Bodybuilding 11 Conversation
The fitness place is seperated by plants, which can not interfere with each other. Wear masks to enter the conversation place and enjoy the fun of communicating with each other.
12 Forest Trial
Walking along the forest trial can relax your mind and have a breath of fresh air.
Buildings Roof Garden Ground Garden
Quarantine Garden Model | Refroming the Roof of Guangzhou Nikko Hotel as an Example
Dividing seat Perception Garden Private Zone Entrance Isolation facilities Independent Space Avoid Contact Close to nature Well played! Quiet Shady Sunshine Nature Do you like this piece of music? Hello! Can you hear me? Of course! Nice to meet you! Read on a seperate bench Stroll
the verandah A space of one's own Admire the plants in the garden Exposure to sunlight Personal activities Infrared temperature
A
under
Hi! Waterscape Exercise Dance Hello! Let me take a picture. Stretch my muscles! One, two, three...
practiced for a long time...
want to go dacing... Public Zone Pavilion Special runway
Fitness
a walk on the fitness trail Chatting under the partition of plants Long time looking at the water Dance in a prescribed circle temperature measurement Single person only Show active tracks Low risk communication Outdoor exercise Division of activity area
Haven't
I
Plant partition
Equipment Circle Square Take
DIstance divisions clearly delineate safe areas to people to keep a proper distance so that activities be carried out safe.
02 Distance 01 New Technology The Ground Garden of Guangzhou INTERACTIVE FLOOR VISUALIZE THE SAFE DISTANCE Too close Different ways of warning Walking the path of safety PERSONAL FACILITIES
INDUCTION CHIPS STRUCTURE SUPPORT SAFE DISTANCE RADIUS
Quarantine Ground Garden Model & Facilities |
The interactive floor will help visualize the safe distance between the users. The light-emitting device helps to remind people to keep a safe distance.
to remind activities can
03 Plant Seperation
PUBLIC DISTANCE PLANT FACILITIES PLANT SURROUND
Distance Division
Nikko Hotel & Organized Facilities
Plants are the main means of seperation, on the one hand, dividing people's areas of activity, and on the other hand, forming a barrier of seperation.
Scenes & Facilities |Two Active Scenarios & Organized Facilities
Static Zone GARDEN PATTERN
The recovery garden offers a variety of space options, and lush nature plants that helps relieve anxiety and stress in quarantine people.
INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES GARDEN FACILITES 05 Physical 04 Preception Garden
As the seperation facilities, by means of plants, and other stylistic means, a seperate area is where people can conduct open activies.
plants, planks formed,
Ecological waterscape not only beautifies the environment visually, but also meets the hydrophilic needs of quarantined people in touch.
FOUNTAINS & POOLS SEPERATION FACILITIES DIVERSE WATER FEATURE Dynamic Zone 06 Ecological Waterscape Physical Seperation
Oldtopia 02
Location: Willets Point, New York City
Area: 27.4 ha
Institution: Taubman College
Instructor: McLain Clutter & Alina Nazmeeva
Cooperation with Shaoqun Zhao, Yufei Tang and Jingwen Zhang
Role in the team: design stategy, modeling, presentations and drawings. Period: 09.2022—12.2022
Willet Points is located in Queens, New York City. It is known for its automobile shops and junkyards. According to the census in 2010, the population in Willet Points was 10. The Willet Points has a great location, it is very close to Flushing. There is also a subway station and is a baseball field named Citi Field.
The idea of redeveloping Willet Points has been in the works since the end of World War II. Why does it only have a population of 10? What is its place in the city? What problems in Queens or New York would its redevelopment solve?
By studying the communities around willet points, especially Flushing, we believe that aging is a more prominent issue. Therefore, we want to build a senior-friendly community in willet points. But that doesn't mean it's a community just for seniors. We want this community to serve not only seniors, but also to attract people of other ages to live at Willet Points. We want Willet Points to be part of New York City as a brand new community and hope to design a process that can be applied to most cities so that these cities can think about the problems that seniors encounter in their community life and in turn solve problems for them and provide a higher quality of life.
Here is a short movie Ama's Magic Trip showing the senior-friendly community that we imagine:
https://youtu.be/WxMc914hxPc
Concept Generation |Life Styles of Seniors
Job Opportunities Factory Fresh Food Store Retail Food Store Living Quailty Transit Zone Safe Street Subway Subway Bus Stop Eco-Friendly Park Green Space Waterfront 0-120 Flushing More population Dense distribution 121-250 251-380 381-600 601-1600 Health (Physical & Mental Health) Hospital Museum Library Sport Pharmacy Nursing Home
Activity Union Theme Park Shared Farm Open Space Club Voluntary Organization Shared Business Office Shared Canteen Shared Facilities Stop Health Center Job Management Office Share System UrbanDesigner SharedBusinessFirm Roof garden form Shared with neighborhood MaintainfacilitiesPayrent Job Management Office Shared Business Office Voluntary Organization Elderly PaywithseniorcardseniorcardSysterm Shared wheelchairs Shared Crutches Shared Vehicles Shared Umbrellas Healing gardens Pet-friendly parks Matchmaking corners Ecology System LightIndustries Government Elderly Job Management Office Shared Farm Increase Green Space Plantvegetables ProvideJobs HaveFun RegisterForJobs PolicySupport Healing gardens Pet-friendly parks Income System UrbanDesigner Charities Foundations Non-profitInstitution LocalChurch EmployersShopOwner Job Management Office Voluntary Organization Elderly Askforpreferences PayDeliverprofits Salary Hold exhibitions Health System UrbanDesigner Nurse Healing gardens Pet-friendly parks Matchmaking corners Charities Foundations Activity Union Non-profitInstitution Job Management Office Public hospitals Clinics Nursing rooms Drugstores Registerforjobs Elderly MakeAccompany calls Shared Canteen Free meals for seniors every week
Concept Generation |Models in Willets Point
in Willets Point
Concept Generation |Models
Concept Generation |
NORC in Queens
NORC means " Natural Occuring Retirement Community". This is a special kind of community formed because of the large proportion of seniors in the community, and it is popular among the seniors.
Towers with basic facilities are the ideal architectrue. Social spaces, shopping and service facilities are easily accessible
Concept Generation |
Life style in Flushing
Another lifestyle favored by seniors in Queens is in Flushing. Seniors live in buildings that are not too tall, but are very connected to the city downtown. Seniors rely on the nearest commercial center for all of their needs.
More walkability
More contact opportunities with the city
Make seniors' lives more active
Public buildings in downtown Residential Buildings Buildings In Downtown Live above the city Live opposite the city Live near downtown
Big Six Towers-NORC Boulevard Garden-NORC North Queensview NORC Hanac-NORC
Concept Generation |
· Elevators
· Community Service Point
· Small Pharmacies
· Leisure Space
"NORC" + "Downtown Flushing"
· Building road networks
· Commercial, medical & other urban functions
· Multiple acitivity spaces
· Create joints that connect with the city
· Connect roof place of the city
Create Arichitecture
· To meet residents' basic living needs.
Create City Fabric
· To satisfied the more diverse needs of residents in addition to living.
· To meet the need for communication between residents and the city and between regions.
Create 2nd Layers
· Increase the activity space of residents and ensure the convinience of their travel.
Concept Generation |
Create Architecture
A variety of facilities are planned within the building to form a complex that meets the most basic living needs of residents.
2nd Layer Balcony Interior Space Core Tube Each Architecture Floor Leisure Space Office Floor Lobby Roof Garden Reading Corner Cafe Job Management Office Shared Business Office Voluntary Organization Seniors Non-Profit Institution Pharmacy Pharmacies Vending Machine
Flushing ConnectWithFlushing ConnectWithCorana Connect With Corana ConnectWithSurrouding ConnectWithFlushing Corona City Field BusStation Subway Green Space Open Space Connect With Sadium ShieldFromHighway Concept Generation |Create City Fabric External Connection External Impact Place Residential Buildings Create Road Grid Respond to External Impact Place Other Buildings & Raise the Buildings in the Site
Master Plan of Ground City
Residential Units Museum
Green Space Church
Protective Green Space School
Natural Green Space Office
Open Space Hospital
Sports Club
Library Pharmacy
Commercial Building Mall
Parking Lots
N
Surface of the second floor 2nd Surface For Seniors Space Should Be Left For Some Special Function Create the Grid From Void Space Left For & Urban Fabric Follow the Grid to Design The Surface of the second floor Surface of the second floor Traffic Junction Green Space Tall Building Open Space Entrance garden(farm) Healing garden Community Fair Concert Pet Park Shared facilities stop Exhibition Connect Site With Flushing Connect 2nd With Green Space Connect 2nd With Open Space Connect 2nd With Waterfront Space Connect 2nd With Hospital Directly
Concept Generation |Create the Second Floor
Master Plan of Willets Point
Relationship Analisis | Response to the Design Concept
Shared Facilities
Entrance Garden
Exhibition
Joint
Healing Garden
Pet Park
Shared Canteen
Community Market
Concert
Function Analysis
Activity Buildings
Roof Garden
Greenspace on the Ground City
Office
Education Buildings
2nd Layer's Outline
Joint to connect 2 layers
Commercial Buildings
Medical Buildings
Open Space
Relationships Analysis
Respond to Living Quality Demand - Barrier Free
Respond to Living Quality Demand - Shared Business
Respond to Eco-Friendly Demand
Respond to Health Demand
Shared Canteen
Shared Facilities Stop
Physical Health
Mental Health
Green Space Ramp Elavator
Street View
Shared Canteen & Courtyard
Entrance Garden
Movie Square
Nanyuan Airport 03
Location: Beijing, China
Area: 232 ha
Institution: Studio Alpha, academic Instructor: Ouyang Mengying
Cooperation with Zhichao Wang, Yadan Mo
Role in the team: design stategy, modeling, presentations and drawings. Period: 09.2021—10.2021
Beijing has been the capital of China since the Yuan Dynasty, and the centralized power represented by dozens of emperors has deeply influenced the layout of the city. As the end of the city's central axis, Nanyuan has changed and evolved over the past 800 years, changing from a royal park to a military airport and then a civilian airport since the end of the Qing Dynasty. As Beijing continues to develop, Nanyuan Airport has been unable to keep up with its pace. As a result, Daxing Airport was built and Nanyuan Airport was abandoned as a wasteland, becoming a huge partition in the city.
Nanyuan Airport which belongs to the government are supposed to be shared by ci tizens. This principle gives birth to the idea: repatch and renovate existing construct ions memorial spaces and insert 3 parks with different themes to enhance the conne ction around the neighborhood. This design will provide citizens with public spaces full of historical significance.
Background
In 1910, Nanyuan Airport was completed and put into use. This airport is located in Fengtai District, 15 kilometers away from the city center. Furthermore, the airport is in the axis of Beijing, facing to the Forbidden City.
However, because of the relocation of the airport, moving to Daxing District, it is now abandoned and overgrown with weeds. Our plan will makes the dead place alive again.
Site Analysis | Present Situation & History
Landtype: Concrete
Land Types
Landtype: Bitulith
Landtype: Tile
Existings: Factory
Existings: Entrance Mark
Landtype: Grass
Existing Constructions
Existings: Office Building
Existings: Terminal
Existings: Terminal
Existings: Office Building
Existings: Storage
Existings: Storage
Hospital
Buildings semi-enclose the open space
1272: Capital of China
Royal Hunting Ground
1200s: Setting up of Nanyuan
1400s: Expand the Range
Complexes
Open space surrounds the building
1700s: Peak of Nanyuan
1910 Construction of Airport
Administration
Buildings surround the open space
Military Airport
1937 Occupied by Japan
1937 Occupied by Japan
1972: Nixon's Visit in China
Housing
Buildings parallel to open space
Civil Airport
2005: Opened to Citizens
Airport
Transform into an
Framework | Development & Connection
Issue 1: The airport which is unaccessible for normal people cut off the connections between the surrounding neighborhoods.
Phase 1: Repatch existing constructions, define their fuctions according to history-line and form a seris of linear space.
Issue 2 : The usage rate of open spaces is low because of sparse population and underdevelopment infrastructure.
Phase 2: Add residential and office area to attract people and offer them service spaces like shopping mall.
Issue 3 : The site which belongs to the government can provide a central public space where citizens can use and rest.
Phase 3: Renovate grassland into a natural park and runways into walking-scenery path to improve the living quality.
Concept generation : Extend original road network and construct new roads; Put a community and three parks with different themes in the site constructing them in different phases.
Phase 4 : Put a recreational park with communication and fitness functions; Perfect this site with a cultural park.
N
Strategy |
Tarmac: The Axis of the Airport
Roads: Turn the main runway to road and equip the site with perfect road system.
Buildings: The building height and dense gradually decreases from north to south.
Water: Water introduced from Liangshui River provide hydrophilic platform to visitors.
Paths: Large number of air corridors consist of the path system.
Paths: Large number of air corridors consist of the path system.
Racecourse Nature Park Community Park Business & Residential Area
Scenes & Facilities | Nature Park Including Forests and Rivers
The nature park take the original airplane runway as the axis. On one side is a forest park, on the other side is a waterfront park. People can choose to walk in the dense and tall forests or near the river and the hydrophilic platform.
Scenes & Facilities | From Human Society to Nature: Modern building & Nature park
The modern building area includes residential area, business area, community park and aircraft museum.
The nature park take the original airplane runway as the axis. On one side is a forest park, on the other side is a waterfront park.
Scenes And Facilities | Aircraft Exhibition & Racecourse
The aerospace industry made a great progress in the past 100 year. In order to show the aerospace development of China, the aircraft exhibition will be set up near the old terminal. Citizens can come to the exhibition to see how Chinese aircraft developed after Qing Dynasty.
The Racecourse will reappear the old history of the royal huting ground and remind people the interesting past events happening in the area. The feed for horses are all from the nearby landscape.
In this design, the building height gradually decreases from north to south, and the historical
historical trend gradually develops from south to North according to the development of time.
