Yi Zhou UCL Bartlett Portfolio

Monument of Impermenance

1

Concrete Clothing | Gained and Lost

2

Breaking Point

3

A Wild Embrace

4

Beauty in Chaos

5

Fragility | Photography

6

A Birdhome

7

Cultural Mosaic

8

The Jazz Pavilion

9 & 10

Yi Zhou Vancouver, Canada zhouyi.ca

Monument of Imperminance Individual Rhino 3D, Photoshop, Blender Even our grandest monuments will eventually become nothing but pebbles and sand. Yet instead of being saddened, we should ask: What if its scars could be beautiful?

What if death could give its life more meaning? This temporary rammed earth pavilion dissolves through coastal weathering. Instead of repelling nature as the destructive enemy, nature is given the role of the second artist.

This project received an honorable mention by Buildner International Architecture Competitions.

More Info: https://architecturecompetitions. com/rammedearthpavilion/

Field study

Exploring interaction with water

Slowly becoming part of the beach

Exploring scale

Erosion process over time

Construction layers

Concrete Clothing

Gained and Lost

Individual Graphite

Individual Graphite

A jungle of concrete, decorated with facades.

Inside, mere skeletons reside.

Whats gained: more plastic, more cars, more consumption.

Whats lost: a home, a city, a culture.

Research paper excerpts

Types of reinforcements used (steel, PP fibre, raffia, PP mesh)

Breaking Point Individual & Mentor Research Study This 16-page research paper explores concrete tensile strength through 9 mixtures and 126 samples. The study uncovers unique characteristics of various concrete reinforcements.

Through the experiment, it is determined that steel rods with polypropylene fibres can provide exceptional strength and offer ample time for failure detection thanks to the fibre bonding.

Test subject beams; 18cm x 3 cm x 3cm (LWH)

Rewilding

Threshold collage with ink and watercolour | Moss growth study

A Wild Embrace Individual Recycled Cardboard, Cement My abstracted form, a celebration of urban rewilding, was inspired by a particular moment of beauty when nature overtook a built structure. Using layered cardboard, I mimicked the graceful lines of drift wood and growth patterns of moss. The result is a biophilic sculpture invading a rigid concrete structure, infusing nature within its austere form.

Rigid element - prototype and result

Sketches exploring the interaction of strict and natural

Exploring compositions

Beauty in Chaos

Individual Procreate As the sun dips down below the cityscape, Times Square blooms into a luminous symphony of lights.

Amidst the thousand voices echoing a thousand stories and songs, I finally feel the beating heart of New York.

Times Square Poem

Carving out the cityscape

The Skyscraper’s Ballad Individual Digital Photograph

More photos @ zhouyi.ca

Fragility

This Evening Tasted Sweet

Individual Acrylic on Canvas

Individual Digital Photograph

In an ever more industrial world, the simple purity of life has become so fragile. In a constant crunch against time, so few remember to slow down.

Graphite value study

Forest walk

A new home

A Birdhome Individual & Mentor Wood, Resin, Cement, Organic, Paris Bandage, Paper This fungi-inspired birdhome allowed me to explore what it means to build a home instead of a house. A translucent roof made from resin, paper, and cedar diffuses interior light.

The walls, a blend of straw and cement, allow the structure to breathe; improving ventilation and temperature control.

Bent-wood lamination

Casting outer wall

Waterproof roofing closeup

Exterior wall closeup

“Dull, Diverse, Dilute” - Studying the balance of diversity

Cultural Mosaic Individual Ink & Coloured Pencil on Paper I observed a patch of lichen resembling a miniature town. So diverse, yet balanced, each cluster works together symbiotically. While studying this delicate equilibrium, a question emerges: Can lichen instruct a healthier diversity within cities?

Visualizing balanced diversity

Iteration Sketches

Drawing while listening to Jazz (“Comes Love” & “Tapestry of an Asteroid”)

Atmosphere of sound

Pavilion 3D modelling

The Jazz Pavilion Individual Blender, Rhino 3D, Clay

Experimenting with human-shaped arch using clay

Jazz, a tapestry of creativity, culture, and poised power, invites us to sway to its rhythmic pulse. The Jazz Pavilion seeks to crystallize its rhythmic pulse in architecture, offering a stage for street musicians, performers, and artists.

Layers of pavilion facade

The Jazz Pavilion Individual Blender, Rhino 3D, Clay Tempo guides the structure with graceful arches while instilling order. Harmony weaves intricate ornaments to add depth.

Improvisation allows the form to roam unrestricted. Detailed formwork pays homage to jazz’s African and American roots. In this pavilion, experience transforms into emotion.

Pavilion poster designs