Portfolio chieh chih chiang

CHIEH CHIH CHIANG B.A International Relations | Brown University ‘11

Harvard GSD M.Arch I Application Portfolio

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Contents Career Discovery | Harvard GSD | Summer 2010Â Interpolation

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Re-Mix

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Personal | Summer 2013 Informal Athens

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New York/Paris | Columbia GSAPP | Fall 2013 Random Walk

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Frames

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Second Skin

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Shelter

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Supercut

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Access

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CV

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Interpolation Career Discovery | Summer 2010 Critic: Nathan Fash

2010

2013

In this project for two families I designed two houses spiralling around a lightwell.

The two families are reminded of each other’s presence through interlocking volumes and mutual sightlines.

The Buffs, a fitness-minded intellectual couple, enjoy a sequence of mostly private spaces housing a gym, pool, and library.

The Yuppies, an artist couple and their two young children, have larger social spaces for art collection and video screening.

Together, the two families share the common lightwell and rooftop garden.

The site, a quiet residential street in Cambridge, MA, called for a design that respected the neighboring red-brick facades while creating a distinct identity.

My original 2010 design from Career Discovery failed to integrate the two houses sufficiently, leaving them as two stacks of boxes.

In 2013, I revised my design to better integrate form and circulation.

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Adjacencies Buffs Yuppies

Collective Space Mutual sightlines

Social space Maximal intrusion

Program

Tectonics

Front

Social spaces: Levels 1 to 3 Private spaces: Levels 4 to 5

Back

Front

Private space Minimal intrusion

Circulation

Back

Massing: Heavier on side of larger neighbor Orientation: Views switch between Ware St & parking lot behind

Front

Back

Buffs: Exercise & Reading spaces Yuppies: Art & Video display

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I arrayed moments of adjacencies along the two houses’ circulation.

The collective space of the lightwell features mutual sightlines on the lower, more social levels.

The social spaces are defined by translucent walls suggesting the other family’s presence.

Private spaces contain more opaque walls between the two families.

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A B

A

B

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Re-Mix Career Discovery | Summer 2010 Critic: Nathan Fash

City

Plaza Activities

My design for an Artists Complex seeks to alleviate the Boston City Hall Plaza’s unbalanced circulation.

Circulation

Shelter

Spring

Acting as a second topographical layer, the Complex’s Roofscape rises from the Plaza, creating three layers of circulation curating the public towards the neglected Northern edge of the Plaza.

Public programs (Exhibition, theater, and studios) are nestled in the interstitial space between the Plaza and Roofscape, while the private apartments are located atop to receive sunlight.

Summer

As I was not satisfied with my Career Discovery design from 2010, I revised it substantially in 2013, starting with an analysis of City and Plaza.

Autumn

Boston City Hall Plaza lies at the nexus of four major urban axes: 1) Commercial artery 2) Civic path 3) Public space 4) Public transport

Winter

Despite its centrality, the Plaza remains largely isolated from the Boston due to its two disparate topographies: 1) The physical, fragmented 28’ slope from Cambridge Street to Congress Street 2) The functional terrain, unevenly concentrated along the Cambridge Street - Fanueil Hall passage, leaving the Northern expanse of the Plaza barren for most seasons.

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2010 My original Career Discovery design organized public and private programs along two internal streets, one atop the other.

A Garden Annex containing retail and theater is sunk into the Plaza in order to activate the neglected Northern edge.

However, I was dissatisfied with the design’s confrontational nature.

2013 Revising the project in 2013, I designed the Complex as an extension of the Plaza, rising 30’ from both Cambridge St and the Plaza itself - a Roofscape that shelters activities below and hosts events atop, while acting as a new circulation route.

Concept sketch: Directing circulation towards the Plaza’s Northern edge.

Roofscape creates new circulation paths below and on it.

Interstitial space between Plaza and Roofscape houses public programs.

Private apartments rise above Roofscape for lighting and views.

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Apartments

Roofscape

Tectonics By studying interaction between the Plaza’s two topographies, I designed the Roofscape as an undulating surface connecting the busy Southern edge to the neglected Northern edge.

Open Gallery

Museum

Studios

Circulation

Program

Three layers of circulation with different functions:

Public programs with longest duration of time spent are arrayed towards the Northern edge to enliven the area.

1) Roofscape: Interactive zone between resident artists above and the public below.

2) Open Gallery: Free exhibition space connecting the T Station to a cafe.

Concourse

These programs occupy more expansive interstitial spaces than programs with shorter durations.

3) Concourse: Retail and theater orient the public towards the Northern edge.

Least time Minimum interstitial space

Most time Maximum interstitial space

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Museum and Open Gallery

Roofscape (Cambridge St)

Concourse

A

Apartments

B

B A

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Activities

Circulation

Shelter

Before (Average)

After

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Informal Athens Personal | Summer 2013

European Union

Athens, January 2013: While in town researching Greek bonds, I explored the informal economy during my spare time.

Greece’s highly entrepreneurial culture suggests that a substantial amount of economic output may be unreported.

A significant proportion of the labor force is engaged in the informal economy. They may be categorized into Illegals, Self-Employed, and Employees.

In this personal project, I studied the spatial ownership and exposure of three typologies occupied by these participants: The Street, the periptero (kiosk), and the polykatoikia (apartment block).

15%

9%

A major drain on tax revenue, the informal economy is output not accounted by conventional methodologies, including the black market, unreported work, and undeclared income.

18%

Greece

Peers Median

34%

24%

Employees

Self-Employed

Official GDP

Informal Economy

16% Greece

14%

€36 bn €184 bn

Most informal economy estimates are based on tax evasion data instead of Greece’s unique labor market.

I estimated incremental GDP based on unreported economic output.

Entrepreneurial Culture Labor Cost

Tax Burden

Athens

Informal Economy Unregulated Space

15%

Illegal Immigration

40%

Market Inefficiencies

Of the three participants, illegal immigrants account for just 15% of economic activity. Each participant occupies a different typology and space.

45% Peers: Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Slovakia

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Platia Vathis

Street

By studying shifting boundaries and public circulation around four blocks in Platia Vathis, a neighborhood North of the Kerameikos-Metaxourgeio district, I diagrammed spatial ownership and exposure respectively.

Illegals Illegals hawking contrabands and drugs are highly exposed in public spaces. They own fluid spaces that react to market conditions.

Periptero

Self-Employed Owners of periptero kiosks constantly bend the rules to expand the boundaries of their space, which is exposed to heavy consumer traffic.

Polykatoikia

Ownership Shifting boundaries

Employees Due to high social security costs, many employers resort to under-the-table hires, who occupy the most stationary but least exposed space within certain polykatoikia blocks.

Exposure Public circulation

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Random Walk New York/Paris | Fall 2013 Critics: Thomas de Monchaux, Sarah Carpenter

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The “random walk” is a mathematical model applied to stochastic patterns such as Brownian motion, stock price fluctuations, and even circulation paths.

However, actual circulation is rarely “random” and unpredictable. We choose from a set of rational decisions when confronted with counter-forces: slowing down, changing direction, or surging past.

To truly randomize one’s decisions, I connected two oxford shirts arm-to-arm with safety pins so that the wearer can adjust the extent to which the shirts are bound together.

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By generating different amounts of resistance against its wearer’s motion, the prosthetic device causes the body to twist and turn, randomizing reaction to a counterforce.

1/ Body movement under different resistances 12x18” Graphite on mylar 2/ Circulation pattern after randomization 18x24” Graphite on mylar

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Frames New York/Paris | Fall 2013 Critic: Jane Kim

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Flatiron is surrounded by urban frames formed by different edges, each existing on its own plane, such as a wall, the curve of a bus, or a lamp post.

Thus, the 2D virtual spaces implied by the frames are actually elongated real spaces in flux when an edge is formed by a moving object.

Using 1/16” and 1/4” basswood sticks to map virtual and real spaces respectively, I constructed the Armature to direct one’s sight to real spaces.

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3

Virtual 1/ Virtual and real spaces around Flatiron 18x18” Graphite on mylar

Real

2/ Photo-collage of 12 frames around Flatiron 3/ Real space changes due to moving edges 18x24” Graphite on mylar

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Second Skin New York/Paris | Fall 2013 Critic: Babak Bryan

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3

Can one space wear another as a second skin?

When wearing a second skin such as an Elmo suit, personal spatial boundaries vary across one’s body. The boundaries of hitherto private regions, such as the torso and groin, now expand and becomes socially acceptable to be touched.

Taking a cue from how the variations in the second skin affects personal space, I designed the two Changing Rooms’ circulation to wrap around the other’s changing room so that the degree of privacy ebbs and flows with the human traffic outside.

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1/ Personal spatial boundary variations 18x24” Graphite on mylar 2/ Changing Room & Circulation generation 9x6” Graphite on mylar 3/ (From Top) Changing Room A, Circulation A, Changing Room B, Circulation B

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Shelter New York/Paris | Fall 2013 Critic: Eduardo Rega Calvo

1

2

By analyzing different boundary conditions on Bryant Park, I designed a bleacher with a spectrum of sheltered spaces.

The urban rooms of Bryant Park are curated by boundaries of different permanence.

Spaces defined by effervescent (human traces) and changing boundaries (foliage) are used for circulation and quick breaks respectively while permanent boundaries (topography) are used for shelter.

Effervescent Boundaries

By connecting analogous boundaries on the facade of Center Pompidou to Bryant Park, a structure is generated upon which the Bleacher lies.

Changing Boundaries

Permanent Boundaries Public Seats

Semi-Private Entry

Private Cocoon

1/ Boundary conditions analysis 40x40� Graphite on mylar 2/ Tape modules study

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To access permanent sheltered space, one first ascends the Bleacher’s surface of public and semi-public spaces before walking deep into the Cocoons.

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Supercut New York/Paris | Fall 2013 Critics: Thomas de Monchaux, Sarah Carpenter

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Expansion/Contraction

2

In this final 2 assignment, I condensed the Palais Garnier’s spatial experiences into a supercut trailer located just behind its facade - a sneak preview of the actual spectacle in the program of a fashion Atelier.

Palais Garnier’s public space is characterized by the distinction between strictly programmed spaces (Grand stairs, vestibule) and leftover spaces that encourage mixing and circulation.

Sited in the Grand Foyer, Vestibule, and Loggia, the Atelier interacts with the existing structure to recreate the three spatial experience of transitioning between Palais Garnier’s programmed and leftover spaces: Expansion/Contraction, Visual Folding, and Regulated/Unregulated circulation.

Visual Folding

Programmed space

Leftover space

Regulated/Unregulated

Site 1/ Axonometric of Garnier Opera public spaces 18x24” Graphite on mylar 2/ Three spatial experiences of Palais Garnier 24x24” Graphite on mylar

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3

4

I used a final 1 sketch model comprising 4 boxes to design these spatial experiences.

I then applied 3 operators based on this Found Object’s intrinsic properties - push/pull, 60 degree rotation, and opacity - to reconfigure it into a Fashion Atelier within Palais Garnier.

Core programs - Fabrication, Studio, Office, and Retail - are located within the Found Object.

Leftover programs - Warehouse, Archive, and Cafe - are placed in the interstitial spaces between the Found Object and Palais Garnier.

3/ Found Object analysis: (Clockwise) Visual Folding, Interstitial, Expansion/Contraction, and Regulated/Unregulated circulation.

18x24” Graphite on mylar 4/ Found Object transformation 18x24” Graphite on mylar

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3

4

Expansion/Contraction

Visual Folding

Regulated/Unregulated Vestibule

Loggia Grand Foyer

3/ Atelier circulation 18x24” Graphite on mylar 4/ Three spatial experiences of the Atelier 24x24” Graphite on mylar

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Core programs Expand while leftover programs Contract.

4

Retail Visually Folds back to recall the production process in Studio and Runway.

Circulation in public programs, such as Cafe and Retail, is Unregulated while circulation in private programs, such as Studio and Office, is Regulated.

Runway in Vestibule 4/ Unrolled section 18x50� Graphite on mylar

Studio in Grand Foyer

Retail in Vestibule/Loggia

Cafe in Loggia

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Access New York/Paris | Fall 2013 Critic: Eduardo Calvo Rega

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2

In this final 1 assignment, I investigated how visual and physical accessbilities govern the interaction between Public Circulation, Program, and Site for a Fashion Atelier.

Bisected by the Metropolitan Opera’s Southern wall, the Site is divided into 3 sections between Lincoln Center, Danrosch Park, and the Met Opera.

A parasitic structure embedded in the Met Opera’s Southern wall, the Atelier contains Retail, Fabrication, Office, and Studio spaces, each with its own degree of accessibility to the public.

I first studied Lincoln Center Plaza and the Metropolitan Opera, classifying visual and physical accessibilities - Neither see nor enter (Concrete wall), See and enter (Opera entry), and see but cannot enter (Glass wall) - before applying these to the Atelier.

1/ Visual and physical accessibilities in Lincoln Center 18x24” Graphite on mylar 2/ Visual and physical accessibilities in Met Opera 6x24” Graphite on mylar

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3

4

5

(Clockwise) Retail: See and enter.

Fabrication: See and enter - but cannot walk in.

Office: See but cannot enter.

Studio: Neither see nor enter.

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3/ Public Circulation + Program 4/ Site + Program 5/ Public Circulation + Site 6/ Program + Program

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Site + Program Studio and Fabrication spaces are visible to Opera patrons.

Public Circulation + Site The public weaves in and out of the Atelier and Met Opera through a sequence of views.

Program + Program Fabrication, the most performative yet least accessible space, lies at the heart of the Atelier.

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Fabrication

Retail

Office

Studio

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CV Education

Professional

Brown University September 2007 – December 2010 • B.A International Relations (Political Economy), Magna cum Laude • GPA: 3.8/4.0 • Honor Society: Omicron Delta Epsilon • Research: Sovereign wealth funds, film architecture, international law

Japonica Partners, Providence / Frankfurt

December 2010 – June 2013 Investment Analyst • Analyzed macroeconomic methodologies, such as National Accounts and ESA95, to identify impact of exogenous variables on Greek economy for EUR4 billion sovereign debt tender offer.

• Conducted Kaplan Meier analysis to conclude that claims of efficacy for chemotherapy drug with annual sales of $200 million had been exaggerated by up to 40%.

• Performed Sum-of-the-Parts analysis to assess that a $25 billion conglomerate was overvalued by up to 60% – as evidenced by subsequent stock price decline.

Columbia University GSAPP • Shape of Two Cities: New York/Paris - Architecture Harvard University GSD • Career Discovery - Architecture

September 2013 – December 2013

July 2010 – August 2010

Personal • • • • •

Travel: Central America, Greece, Germany, UK, China, US, Japan, Taiwan Languages: English (Native), Mandarin (Native), Spanish (Basic) Leadership: Ivy Film Festival (Sponsorship Coordinator), Singapore Army (3rd Sergeant) Software: Bloomberg, Excel, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Rhino, SketchUp, 3DS Max Interests: Finance, real estate, film, cycling, football, soccer

Kazarian Foundation, Washington DC December 2011 – February 2012 Analyst • Developed cost-benefit framework to assess impact of alternative healthcare delivery proposal by quantifying improvements in cost savings, job creation, and quality of care.

NEBC, Providence January 2009 – December 2009 Entertainment Finance Intern • Constructed cash flow waterfall model to assess profit distribution of a three-motion picture slate.

Singapore Armed Forces, Singapore March 2005 – January 2007 Operations Specialist • Led team of twelve on divisional manpower management duties during military exercises.

Contact • Address: #14-04 10 Newton Rd Singapore 307947 • Tel: (65) 840 12360 • Email: chiehchih.chiang@gmail.com

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Front Cover: Changing Room sketch Back Cover: House for Two Families sketch