Eric Liyu’s Portfolio.
Master of Architecture Graduate
Selected works leading to 2025
About me
Furniture Design
Stool Design
Hi there!
I am a Master of Architecture graduate dedicated to advancing my career in design and developing a broader knowledge of the technical built environment. Beyond the finished product, I am deeply interested in the design process - understanding how form and function emerge through both thoughtful decision-making and the ability to understand the technical side of construction. My approach is rooted in analyzing the surrounding context to create designs that are both responsive and client-focused. I’ve got skills in technical details, software, design, and public relations, and I intend to apply these skills while learning and developing them to help better myself and add value to any place I work. My primary interest lies in adaptive reuse architecture, where I embrace the challenge of transforming existing structures to serve new purposes while preserving their architectural integrity.
Relevant skills
- Archicad
- Sketchup
- Twinmotion
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Lightroom
- AutoCAD
- Model Making
- Revit
- Researching
/ Essay writing
- Photography
- Matterport Scanner
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Excel
- Google Docs
- Google Slides
Work experience
August 2023 – March 2024
Architectural Graduate
Mortlock McElroy Architects
April 2023 – August 2023
3D Scanner Contract
ARCLAB
July 2021 – December 2022
Architectural Intern
JDA Studio Ltd (formerly John D’Anvers Architects)
Master Thesis Project
Post Postal
Enhancing the surrounding community through adaptive reuse
Skills Applied
- ArchiCAD
- Sketchup
- Twinmotion
- Model Making
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Indesign
- Sketches
- Word / Mendelay
- Power Point
- Indesign
My thesis aims to conserve two existing buildings that have served the local community of Birkenhead. What made the challenge unique was that while one building was abandoned, the other was still used as a telephone exchange. Furthermore, as a context-based project, the new implementation should respond to the needs of the Birkenhead community.
The proposal is to convert the structure into a community space, where it can be hired for specific events for the unique communities of Birkenhead. At its base core, it will remain a co-working space, with a cafe/eatery in front of the post office. The critical point of this project is to produce a ‘third space’ for Birkenhead and to unify the various communities in the suburb. The interventions consist of gutting the interior but retaining the external structure, so in the event of a programme change, the structure can remain intact without any drastic changes.
Above: Front perspective of both structures at night.
In addition to the community space, additional apartments have also been constructed on top of the chosen site. While the apartment ‘pods’ position provides luxury-level views of the Auckland CBD, its primary goal is to provide housing for the growing population of Birkenhead. These pods are modular by design, as they are built offshore and can be implemented in other locations that face similar housing issues. Furthermore, they can also be removed from its premises without altering the original forms of the existing buildings.
Above: Rear persective of the telephone exchange.
16. Adaptable space*
17. Temporary storage
18. Vault - museum*
19. Alley - main thresh.
20. Service Room
21. Living Room
22. Kitchen - housing
23. Dining room
24.Master Bedroom
25. Bedroom
26. Ensuite
27. Water Closet
28. Laundry
29. Walk-in closet
30. Decking
Note: Areas that are marked with * are
Above: Cross section of the post office.
Right: Apartment pods development.
Commercial Design Mortlock McElroy Architects
KFC Deisgn
Producing a commercial fast food space for a global brand
Skills Applied
- ArchiCAD - Photoshop
- Building consent documentation - Detail Deisgn
Mortlock McElroy LTD are the architects behind KFC stores around New Zealand. To improve efficiency, most current designs within the country are derived from a specific project, dubbed ‘Standard Store’. This base design is then altered to fit the particular site chosen for a new KFC.
The projects that I have been involved with includes but are not limited to Birkenhead, East Tamaki, Kaiapoi and Massey Road KFC’s, which are all derived from the Standard Store. My involvement around these projects can range within the building consent documentation, from detail drawing, to site layouts for the speaker station or garden. All details were drawn using AutoCAD.
Birkenhead KFC
Equipment Plan
Sliding
Section Drawing
Residential Design JDA Studio Garage Conversion
Converting an existing garage into a multipurpose living space
Skills Applied
- ArchiCAD - Twinmotion - Photoshop - Detail drawing
- Design development
- Client communication
- Product sourcing
- Building consent documentation
Residential Design: JDA Studio Garage Conversion
Residential Design: JDA Studio Garage Conversion
The clients want to provide extra living quarters for temporary living. The space had to offer the necessary amenities to be self-sufficient from the main house while retaining a double garage space. The room could also be rearranged for other uses if it is not used as a living space. Based on the client’s wishes, the extension is wrapped with vertical timber battens, which would mask the garage opening and hide the windows. Furthermore, the cladding would extend to the front door, accentuating the entry.
Main driveway elevation
Furniture Design Stool Design
Designing and constructing a stool made from wood
Skills Applied
- Design development - Wood crafting
- Workshop
Design Process is an elective hosted by David Chaplin that teaches the fundamentals of design development. In the class, we were tasked with designing a wooden stool, which we had to construct ourselves. Documenting our stages of construction, we had to follow the design process guidelines established by Christopher Alexander in his book ‘Nature of Order.’
Dubbed ‘Model 03’ as the third piece of furniture I’ve designed, I was heavily inspired by Alvar Aalto’s stool 60. Much like his design, I emphasised lightness, simplistic forms, and ease of construction. Utilising only three legs rather than four added to the simplistic nature of the design, as that was the bare minimum of how many legs were needed to support a person. Furthermore, removing a fourth reduces weight and makes it much easier to carry. While the original concept required the legs to be made from a single bent piece, the design is revised to consist of four pieces interlocked with a dowel threaded through. The ‘V’ shaped legs also emphasized strength within the footings and a focus on the centre of the stool.
While we were fortunate to utilise all the tools in the workshop, the materials had to be sourced ourselves. This challenge emphasised cost efficiency, requiring my design to be as simple as possible. Luckily, I found spare materials within the workshop to produce my stool.
To produce my design, I had to utilise the university workshop. A number of tools were utilised to cut tits individual pieces, which were later sanded to be handled for general use.