Dat Cao 2022-2023 Portfolio

Dat Thanh Cao

Landscape Architecture

Portfolio

datcao@cpp.edu +1 (626) 242 0114 https://www.linkedin.com/in/datcao0114/

DAT THANH CAO

Landscape Architecture Student

About:

I am currently an undergraduate studying Landscape Architecture at Cal Poly Pomona.

I am an active learner who always seek opportunities to grow and uplift everyone around me to reach their full potential. I thrive in projects that involve teamworks and collaboration from multiple disciplines because I understand the value in being a part of a community.

My passion include designing gardens and communal spaces, I also like to spend time in nature to appreciate the gifts of our planet and to find inspiration.

Language:

Interests:

Vietnamese

• • • • • •

Native

English

Proficient

Education:

Photography/Videography Hiking Bodybuilding Sketching Community Volunteering Gardening

California State Polytechnic Pomona, Pomona, CA - Undergraduate • Major: Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture • Status: Full-time Student • Overall Grade Point Average: 3.590

Work and Volunteer Experience: • • •

Advance Tutoring Center, Rosemead— Tutor, Summer Teacher, and Activity Planner, (2019-2022).

Mind and Heart Research Lab, Cal Poly Pomona— Lab Assistant, (September 2019 March 2019).

Nativity Church, South El Monte— Volunteer and Fatima Youth Leader, (September 2015 - the present),

Software Skills: • • • • • • •

AutoCAD Rhino 3D Photoshop Premiere Pro Adobe Illustrator Adobe Indesign Twinmotion

Achievements: • • • •

Community Service Award, Rosemead High School - Completion of 100+ hours for community service.

Dean’s Honor List, Cal Poly Pomona - Achieved a 3.5 or better grade point average.

CITI Program Certification, Cal Poly Pomona - Completion of Human Research training course on February 19th 2020.

California Native Plant Landscaper Certification, Theodore Payne Foundation Completion of California Native Plant Landscaper Program coursework on September 23rd 2023.

Dat Thanh Cao

CONTENTS

01

Academic Project

02

03

Academic Project

Academic Project

Topographic Fragment

Impact

Journey Trail

Building 3, Pomona, CA

Study Model

California State Polytechnic Pomona, Pomona, CA

California State Polytechnic Pomona, Pomona, CA

Puente Hill Landfill, City of Industry, CA

pages: 2-6

pages: 7-10

California State Polytechnic Pomona, Pomona, CA page: 11-29

1

04

Additional Works page: 30-31

Dat Thanh Cao

01

TOPOGRAPHIC FRAGMENT Studio Project - Spring 2023 - Topographic Form

ABOUT: This was the beginning of our collaborative project for the Spring Semester in 1st year studio. Given the option for choosing an existing site on the Cal Poly Pomona campus within the perimeter of building 1, 2, 3, and 7, we were to draft out the site plan as well as section that cover a 25’ by 25’ area. We started out by working together with members of our team to take measurement and record them in our sketch books. Then, each member will individually draft their chosen site applying the fundamental of hand drafting, which we aquired from previous semester. Lastly, using cardboard along with cutting tools, we slowly progressed toward the modelmaking phrase.

PROJECT DATA Type: Size: Location: Instructor:

Academic 625 ft2 Pomona, CA Rennie Tang 2

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SITE IMAGES AND SKETCHES

Hand sketched section with pencil and pen

Photos taken with iphone 11 3

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SITE DATA

Scale: 1/4” = 1’-0”

Hand sketched section with pencil and pen

N

Hand drafted plan with pencil, pen, and ruler.

4

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SITE PLAN AND SECTION

N

Hand drafted plan and section with pencil, pen, drafting board, and other drafting supplies.

5

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PHYSICAL MODEL Perspective :

Front View :

Top View :

The model was constructed with cardboard as the main source of material along with hot glue.

6

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02

IMPACT

Studio Project - Fall 2023 - Spatial Design

ABOUT: Looking through the book called Operative Design: A Catalog of Spatial Verbs, I was fascinated by the verbs nest, shatter, and depress. These verbs were then be used in the process of creating a narrative for an abtract and interactive outdoor space. At the end of the project, a physical model was made to represent the abtract space and tell the story of how it was created through an “impactful” event from the past.

PROJECT DATA Type: Scale: Location: Instructor:

Academic 1/4” = 1’-0” Pomona, CA Natasha Harkison 7

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8

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SKETCHES AND PROTOTYPES

Model A :

Notes: This is the first study model. With some feedbacks from the teacher assistant, I realized that my model seems a bit too symmetrical. To be more aligned with my narrative and the verb “shatter”, I am encourage to make my pieces a bit more dynamic.

Model B : Notes: Taking the concept of “shatterd” glass into consideration, I made some changes to the current study model while staying aligned with my narrative. I also wanted to add my some bonus features to the model and create areas with different elevations.

9

Photos taken with iphone 11, and model was created with cardboard and hot glue.

Dat Thanh Cao

Narrative: A mysterious object resemblance the shape of a turtle shelf landed on a flat desserted area of land. At first, there were small fractures that can be seen created by the object, but slowly the ground began to crack then quickly shattered into multiple fragments. No one know exactly how heavy the mysterious turtle shelf weight, but its collision with the ground had depress the area where it landed. As times goes by, everything around the turtle shelf undergoes changes. Pieces of shattered land shifted and form terrace, the gaps between them gave rise to a small canyon as wind and water cut through. Small animals and vegetation found their way into the land and made it their home.

Soon after, travelers were attracted to this place and their treads upon the land due to their curiousity helps form various walking paths. Despite all of these activities happening. the turtle shelf remains unchange as it nest itself in the ground. To this day, its origin is still a mystery, but the impact it had created can only be describe as “sublime”.

Photos taken with digital camera, and model was created with foam core and hot glue.

10

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03

JOURNEY TRAIL

Studio Project - Fall 2023 - Spatial Design

ABOUT: This was the final project for the semester, and it was inspired by the actual Puente Hill Park project from Studio MLA. My team and I envisioned a section of the site to be a place where people can intuitively experience a sense of awareness and curiosity. By looking back at the history and the collective memories of the Tongva people, we invite the community to acknowledge the changes of the landscape and to be a part of them as well. Through the inspiration of weaving from the Tongva people, we wanted to create accessibility through circulation. Creating this weaving motion for visitors to be flowing in through and out of our programs.

We were able to emulate our vision through three principles:

Awareness, Curiosity, and Accessibility.

PROJECT DATA Type: Size: Location: Instructor:

Academic 150 000 ft2 13130 Crossroads Pkwy S, City of Industry, CA Natasha Harkison 11

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Puente Hill Landfill Photos taken on September 20th 2023 with on an iphone 11.

12

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SITE ANALYSIS Soil Layers Top soil hydroseeded with Native Mix

Mono-clay Cap

Contaminated Soil

Concrete Caps

Image was created with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

13

Dat Thanh Cao

Wildlife Community California Gnatcatcher Anna’s Hummingbird Black Phoebe California Quail California thrasher Morning Dove Turkey vulture Woodpecker Great Horn Owl California Tohee Greater Road Runner Cassin’s Kingbird Flycathcer Goldfinch Phainopepla Catus Wren Red-tailed Hawk

Queen Butterfly Coast Horned Lizard Arroyo Toad

Mule Deer Coyote Mountain Lion Bobcat Raccoon Feral Cat Cottontail Rabbit Weasel Squirrel Gray Fox Ground Squirrel Dusky-footed Woodrat Brush rabbit

Southern Deck Eastern Deck

14

Western Deck

Image was created with Adobe Illustrator,Indesign, and Photoshop.

Dat Thanh Cao

Plants Community

Riparian forest

Riparian forest -Western Sycamore -Arroyo Willow -Mulefat

Coast Sage Scrub and Chaparral

Coast Sage Scrub -White sage -Purple sage -Black sage -Hummingbird sage -Bush sunflower -California Buckwheat -California Sagebrush

Walnut Woodland

Chaparral -Coyote Bush -Elderberry -Laurel Sumac -Lemonade berry -Toyon -Coffee Berry

15

Oak Woodland

Walnut Woodland -California Black Walnut (can be found in other communities)

Oak Woodland -Coast live oak -Canyon live oak -Valley oak -Scrub Oak

Image was created with Adobe Illustrator, Indesign, and Photoshop.

Dat Thanh Cao

MASTER PLAN

Selected Transect

N Image was hand-rendered with pencil, pen, and alcohol based markers on trace paper.

Scale: 1”=40’ 0’

16

40’

80’

160’

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Selected Transect

B A A

Native Garden Trail

Birdwatching Decks

*HP

B

970’ N

Image was created with Adobe Illustrator, and AutoCAD.

Scale: 1”=20’ 0’

20’

40’

80’

17

Dat Thanh Cao

Planting Strategy

Image was created with Adobe Illustrator, and AutoCAD. Mixed Shrubs/Groundcovers:

Trees: Coast Live Oak

Quercus agrifolia

Woollyleaf Ceanothus

California Poppy

Ceanothus tomentosus

Eschscholzia californica

California Bush Sunflower

Chuparosa

Encelia californica

Justicia californica

Deergrass

Golden Currant

Muhlenbergia rigens

Ribes aureum

Toyon

Red Bush Monkeyflower

California Black Walnut Juglans californica

Western Sycamore Platanus racemosa

Heteromeles arbutifolia

Cleveland Sage Salvia clevelandii

18

Diplacus aurantiacus var. puniceus

Douglas Iris

Iris douglasiana Plants Information Source: calscape.org

Dat Thanh Cao

Circulation Legend:

Main Road For Vehicle and Padestrians Native Garden trail Birdwatching path Connection Points

Image was created with Adobe Illustrator, and AutoCAD.

19

SECTION A: Bridge to Native Garden Trail Native Garden Trail

Scale: 1/4”=1’-0” 0’

1’

2’

4’

20

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Dat Thanh Cao

Birdwatching Decks

21

Section was created with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

SECTION B: Main Road to Birdwatching Decks Main Road

22

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Dat Thanh Cao

Birdwatching Decks

Section was created with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

Scale: 1”=20’ 23

0’

20’

40’

80’

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PHYSICAL MODEL

Cardboard Base

Static Grass

Garden Wire and Moss Trees

24

Clay Boulders

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Photos taken with iphone 11.

25

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26

Image was created with Adobe Photoshop.

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Concept Sketches:

27

Drawings was created with black pen and alcohol based markers.

Dat Thanh Cao

Concept Sketches:

Drawings was created with black pen and alcohol based markers.

28

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Image was created with Adobe Photoshop.

29

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04

Sketches - Landscape Features

ADDITIONAL WORKS This section includes non-academic projects and artworks that reflect my curiosity and appreciation for nature.

Photography - Beauties in Yellow

30

Dat Thanh Cao

Garden Design - Mom’s Rose Garden Reinovation

3D Rendering - Rhino 7 and Twinmotion

31

Thank You. Dat Thanh Cao

datcao@cpp.edu +1 (626) 242 0114 https://www.linkedin.com/in/datcao0114/