Edward Wu, 2023 University of Waterloo Architectural Portfolio

edward wu

Academic Portfolio

e34wu@uwaterloo.ca 613 698 4071

University of Waterloo

2023

edwardjwu.com

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Contents

Academic Projects

1.

Chedoke Ecocenter 2022

6.

Solar Suburbs 2023

2.

Pinebush Yards 2023

7.

Market Canopy 2021

3.

Legacy 2021 4.

Books and Bikes 2021 5.

The Block 2021

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About Hello, my name is Edward Wu, and I am studying to be an architect.

I believe an important driver of good architecture is balance. The practice sits on the boundaries of several different, seemingly opposite schools of thought - you need to think like an engineer, dream like a painter, see like a designer, and speak like a storyteller, all while keeping an eye on practical constraints like budget and time. In my work, I always try to find the center between all these different priorities, to find the one place they all overlap and harmoniously enhance one another, where it all comes together in one critical point.

It’s a challenging mandate, but it also underlines a fundamental strength: Architecture physically alters the world. The diversity of its stakeholders, from engineers and climate experts, to artists and visionaries and governments and cities, provides opportunities to change our societies in ways unlike any other discipline. It underscores the potential for architecture to be an undeniable force for good, one that can change systems of power by designing for the powerless, that can combat climate change by constructing climate resilience, that can make our lives better by building a better way to live.

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Edward Wu Work Experience

Contact Me e34wu@uwaterloo.ca (613)-698-4071 edwardjwu.com

Jun 2018 - Jul 2018

Lead Graphic Designer, Digitera Interactive Co-op

An accomplished and flexible visual communicator, negotiator, and aspiring architect with considerable hands-on experience designing with clients to bring their visions to life. Resourceful and detail oriented, demonstrated by a fantastic record of consistent achievement across a variety of different teams and projects, big or small.

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Seeking full-time internships, 4-8 months.

Jul 2019 - Aug 2019

Skills

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Adobe Ps, Id, Ai Rhino 7 Enscape + Lumion Sketch-up Revit

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Microsoft Office Modelling AutoCAD Acrobat Bluebeam

Awards and Scholarships August 2019 SHAD Waterloo, Best Business Plan June 2020 Lisgar Collegiate Silver Medalist September 2021 University of Waterloo President’s Scholarship

Other Projects and Experience Mar 2015 - Dec 2020 Flight Sergeant, Royal Canadian Air Cadets • As a senior level musician, achieved consecutive gold medals in region-wide music competitions.

Jun 2018 - Jun 2020 Systems Designer, FIRST Robotics Build Team • Developed and fabricated parts to build and optimize a competition robot.

Jan 2016 - present 185+ hours of volunteer experience • Activities include teaching assistant, veteran fundraising, and youth mentorship.

Education Sept 2020 - Present Bachelors of Architectural Studies University of Waterloo, Cambridge ON

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Using CAD Software, developed logos and graphics for a prominent social media startup.

Negotiated with clients to create a comprehensive brand and style guide.

Prepared graphical proposals, including colour swatches, and prototypes.

SHAD Canada Alumni

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Co-founded a mock a startup designed to reduce plastic waste in Canada.

Developed a cohesive business plan and strategic timeline, earning the Best Business Plan Award.

Successfully pitched to a panel of industry and provincial leaders, including including former Premier Jason Kenney.

December 2022 - March 2022

Waterloo Experience AI developer • • •

Leveraged cloud-based machine learning algorithms to measure the fitness of architectural renders.

Explored the role of AI and machine learning in connecting humans with design.

Investigated the potential for AI to recognize and create music, and visual graphics.

September 2022 - May 2023

IBI Architectural Assistant • • •

Designed exterior details, podium layouts, and tower layouts for multi-used condominium projects in the GTA. Drafted building plans, created site and shadow studies, and edited construction drawings using Rhino, Autocad, Sketchup, and Photoshop.

Assembled project proposals and design packages using Indesign.

May 2023 - August 2023

PSPC Architectural Consultant • • •

Led policy research into foreign architectural policies, projects, and initiatives to inform the development of a domestic Canadian Federal Policy for Architecture.

Honed presentation and communication skills through complex negotiations with federal and provincial stakeholders.

Organized meeting minutes and maintained key government architectural and research databases.

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1.

Chedoke Ecocenter About Class: 2B Studio Supervisor: Lola Sheppard Completed: Spring Term, 2022

Comment The Chedoke Ecocenter is a combination of research and educational facility, community center, and natural history museum.

Located in the heart of the Chedoke Falls community in Hamilton, and constructed right on the escarpment, the ecocenter aims to become a new public hub to foster and grow both community engagement around the neighbourhood, and awareness towards the breathtaking biodiversity of the Hamilton area.

The building is constructed out of a truss of locally sourced timber and Hamilton steel, that cantilevers over and into the escarpment, dis turbing as little ground soil as possible. Walls composed of warm stone and terrazzo provide an earthy atmosphere, and the all-glass facade provides panoramic views to the surrounding escarpment.

Main entrance

Key programs include the museum spaces, and community programs that include spaces for summer camps, a community kitchen, and reception spaces for galas and community events.

Ravine trails

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03 02

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I G

Axonometric plan

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General programs

Exhibits

01. Main entrance 06. Washrooms 02. Community Gardens 07. Classrooms 03. Park 08. Community room 04. Collections 05. Curator’s office

A: Geological timeline B: Birds and canopy C: Model of Escarpment D: Fauna E: Indigenous Histories

F: Local Histories G: Subterranean H: Flora and Fungus I: Freshwater Aquatic J: Observation Deck

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1m

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Section 1

Spinal staircase and atrium

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1m

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Section 2

Observational exhibit

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2.

Re-route Re-root About Class: 3A Studio Supervisor: David Fortin Completed: Spring term, 2023 In collaboration with Jiadi Dai and Gracey Zhong

Comment Re-route, Re-root is the project name for the Pinebush Yards, a housing complex that forms the centerpiece of a proposed transit-oriented re-development of Hespeler road in Cambridge.

A sprawling, vehicle centric corridor, remediated into a dense and bustling neighbourhood for immigrants and first-time home owners.

The primary challenge of the project was reconciling the necessity of preserving Hespeler as a vital transit corridor with the pedestrian-oriented design that this kind of program demands.

Pinebush Yards is a high-rise, 16 storey residential complex, with room accomodations of up to three beds, in a variety of suites and sizes. Terraces and community gardens climb up the residential sections, providing flexibility and improved food security and equity to residents.

It’s multi-use podium designed to provide critical programmatic support to an up and coming population of workers and new arrivals, from single, young professionals to large families.

Front facade and Light Rail

Transit connections

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Daylighting

Terracing

Cores

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07

Local cafe

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UP

Local restaurant

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Back of house and loading dock

Transit station

Currency exchange and ATM

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01 Grocery store

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convenience store

UP

WIRE PIPES EXHAUST

06 UP

Local restaurant

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02

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UP

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01 Grocery store

Bicycle parking

10 Garbage room PIPES

EXHAUST

WIRE

06 UP

3.65m @ 7.5%

22.70m @ 15% (4.00m height)

3.65m @ 7.5%

Prorgrams 1m

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01. Grocery store 02. Commercial space 03. Convenience store 04. Currency services 05. Transit station

06. Back-of-house 07. Light rail 08. Bus loop 09. Public Plaza 10. Bike parking

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01

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01:

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Primary function is to facilitate access and connection to city transit.

03: Residential tower steps back to maximize terrace spaces

02: Building is east-west facing, to provide variable sunlight to residential wings.

04: Three-core system provides fire egress and lateral stability

Plaza and courtyard

Communal kitchen

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B B

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01:

B

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General programs 01. Community Kitchens 02. Community Gardens 03. Rec Room 04. Multifaith room

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Units 05. Elevator core 06. Fire egress 07. Storage

A: 1 bedroom unit B: 2 bedroom unit C: 3 bedroom unit

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03: C 07:

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C

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A 04:

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C A

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1m

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Section

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Comment Pinebush Yards occurs within a larger re-organization of the Hespeler corridor into a 15 minute neighbourhood, with transit-oriented development being the catalyst for this change. Beginning with the Stage 3 LRT that passes through Hespeler, development radiates outward. Shops, amenities, and bustline main streets appear, followed by housing and community programming to support the surging population, all accessible within a 15 minute walk.

Multi-use apartment

Two-storey townhouse

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Site Context 1:500

Urban Features 01. Townhouses 02. Haudenesaunee landback 03. Elementary school 04. Public parks

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Urban Sectors 05. Multiuse apartment 06. Community center 07. Secondary school

Low density residential High density residential Community support

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Comment

Scale model - podium facade

Models were constructed out of cardboard, millboard, and basswood sheet. Pieces were cut and etched by hand, and through a laser cutter.

Materials used for detailing include dried wildflowers, sponges, sanding pads, dowels, and foil.

Scale model - residential block

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Site model

Scale context model

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3.

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Legacy

About

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Class: 1B Studio Supervisor: Valerio Rynnimeri Completed: Winter term, 2021

Comment A proposed adaptive-reuse of the Waterloo Police Headquarters in downtown Kitchener. A solid and imposing building originally constructed in the mid-century modern style, this renovation aims to reverse the role of the building by converting it to an open public arts and community center.

Programming includes two community theatres, a public art gallery and store, rentable studios, andan apartment suite for in-residence artists, complete with community kitchens and gardens.

The ethos of this project revolves around a strategy of maximum reuse: The existing concrete, and brick envelopes are kept as intact as possible, and existing floor slabs and structural components are preserved. The greenest and cheapest building is one you never have to construct, but the next best alternative is recycling the structures that we already have.

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Plan 01. Cafe 02. Information desk 03. Elevator core 04. Main theater 05. Secondary theater

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06. Washrooms 07. Sound booths 08. Studios 09. Gallery space

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New section

Section A, 1:200

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Old section

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1m

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Section NW

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New section

Section B, 1:200

Old section

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1m

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Section NE

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Intervention diagram + Housing and social Hub containing apartments, shared spaces, and studios.

+ Utility expansions Extra floorspace to accomodate additional programs.

+ Gardens and greenspace Includes personal gardens, and public park spaces.

- Removal

Additions & interventions

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Site context

Mezzanine

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4.

Books and Bikes About Class: 1B Studio Supervisor: Valerio Rynnimeri Completed: Winter term, 2021

Comment A hybrid library designed for a site beside the Joel Weeks park in Toronto, Ontario.

Books and Bikes is a combination of a mixed media library, and a bike hobbyist studio, designed to empower the local biking scene, and student community.

The first floor holds the bike workshop. It’s program includes walk-in workstations, racks for tools and materials, secure places to park your bike, and a tool-renting service. The bottom floor opens directly to a spacious, public plaza that opens a new route between the main road, and the public park.

The second floor is accessible by staircase and elevator, and contains the library programs. It holds traditional bookstacks, as well as computer stations, multimedia stacks, and study cubicles.

Main plaza

Longitudinal section

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1m

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Plan 01. Work bays 02. Tool library 03. Fabrication lab 04. Elevator

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05. Bike parking 06. Fitness park 07. Pit lane 08. Public lane

Circulation

Par ti

Bike bay render

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Library study spaces

Lobby

Elevation, NE

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Sketch parti

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1m

Site context diagram

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General programs 01. Joel Weeks Park 02. Basketball Court 03. Rowhouses 04. Apartments 05. Commercial 06. Multiuse residential

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5.

The Block

About Class: 2A Studio Supervisor: Eric Haldenby Completed: Fall term, 2021

Comment A proposed adaptive-reuse conversion of the 53 Water Street North apartment complex in Kitchener, Ontario. The aim was to open the interior, improve circulation, allow for better sunlight penetration, and generally convert the apartment from a non-friendly cubicle based program to a communal living scheme, while also doubling the living capacity of the building.

The main focus of the project revolved around the idea of greenspace, and how it improves living conditions and resident happiness. This project inverts the typology of a central corridor that serves outward facing rooms and balconies like a typical apartment complex, instead opting for moving the private rooms inward, and surrounding it with a park-like ring of communal amenities.

Daylight is still allowed to penetrate into the living quarters.

1m

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Plan

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Comment A rough sketch model was created to express the colourful material experiments of the project. Red granite floor tiling, roughcut white sandstone interior walls, wood accents, and yellow highlights create a mid-century modern atmosphere inspired

by Frank LLoyd Wright, providing a good contrast to the foliage of the greenery.

The model is contructed primarily of handcut millboard, paper, clay, and foam. More intricate pieces, such as seat cushions, were folded in place, while other details used conventional modelling glue,

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6.

Solar Suburbs About Class: 3A Urban Theory Supervisor: Valerio Rynnimeri Completed: Spring term, 2023

Comment Created as part of a design exercise to design preliminary schematic development proposal for a new, walkable, high-density suburban neighbourhood, around a hypothetically under-utilized urban area.

The design is focused around combining and remediating typical suburban living with more sustainable high-density urban design in order to both avoid sprawl and create a uniquely diverse urban fabric of many different densities and conditions. The suburban neighbourhood is entirely aligned on a north-south axis, to provide excellent passive daylighting and energy efficiency yearround.

Apartments, 1 Bedroom: 2163 Apartments, 2 Bedroom: 3245 Ratio of apartments: 1.5 Total number of apartments: 5408 Total number of freehold townhouses: 195 Total amount of dwellings: 5603 UPH: 179 GFA (square meters): 312,300 Project GFA (square meters): 421,752 Overall FAR: 1.35

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7.

Market Canopy About Class: 1B Studio Supervisor: Terri Boake Completed: Winter, 2021

Comment A grand steel canopy and public market, situated in the Broadmoor Lake Park, in Sherwood, Alberta.

The structure is constructed out of AESS Category 4 tubular steel members. Welds are ground down, and the steel members are painted and finished to a smooth texture.

The design incorporates a retractable tarp canopy, controlled through a series of winches in order to provide a variable amount of shade.

The structure is inspired by the organic forms of the plant stalks that grow by the water, and is designed to provide shade and and space to house the local area’s annual farmers market.

1m

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Plan

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Closed

Open

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1:30 The ca comp polye the ce spand mater maint when and s the w applie with a water the st wear coatin provid and lo

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Front elevation

Rear elevation

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Thank you!

Edward Wu e34@uwaterloo.ca 613-698-4071

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