Ethan Cheng Architecture Portfolio | Fall 2024

ethan cheng PORTFOLIO F A L L

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i believe in telling stories through design.

As someone who was born and raised in the international city of Hong Kong, I believe that the future of design and architecture should be global, sustainable, and centered on human experiences.

I recently graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, where I studied Music Theatre and Architectural Engineering & Design with the Segal Design Certificate.

Thanks to my multidisciplinary educational background and extracurricular experiences, I bring a unique brand of design that is fresh, accessible, and communicative to my work.

skills & experiences SUMMER 2024 — Seoul Architecture Workshop | Northwestern University x Korea University x STLarchitects x Olson Kundig SUMMER 2023 — Architecture Design Intern | Booth Hansen SUMMER 2022 — Digital Design Marketing | PHASE Scientific International Limited (Hong Kong) Featured Student Work (Arboris Heights, Bike Barns, District West) | Northwestern University Architectural Engineering & Design Program •

AutoCAD, Rhino, Revit, SolidWorks & Enscape

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Procreate, Corel Vector & Canva

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3D Printing (MakerBot) & Laser-cutting

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Video & Content Creation (Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve)

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Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, XD)

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Website & UX Development (Webflow, Wix, Figma)

ETHAN CHENG | FALL 2024

01. architectural design SOUND OASIS

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ARBORIS HEIGHTS

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DISTRICT WEST

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MIDWEST YOUNG ARTISTS CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL

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BIKE BARNS

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PARK ELEMENTARY

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02. scenic & themed design SCENIC

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THEMED

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03. photography

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ETHAN CHENG | FALL 2024

01.1

A R C H I T E C T U R A L

D E S I G N

Project Role: Co-Designer + Lead Renderer

sound oasis

SUMMER 2 0 2 4

TIMBER PAVILION — 4 DAY DESIGN CHALLENGE NODEULSEOM — SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

TEAM: HAJRA MALIK + ETHAN CHENG + KAYLA TILLMAN + BRIAN PARNESS

Sound Oasis on Nodeulseom, a manmade island on the Han river in the heart of Seoul, aims to provide a place of respite and quiet from the hustle and bustle of the city around it.

Located on an abandoned helipad on the east side of the island, the Oasis is an ode to the vernacular of traditional Korean architecture — as seen in its timber louvers, linear spatial arrangement, and adherance to the concept of baesanimsu — while being unafraid to reinvent in ways that represent a modern South Korea. The familiar form of a pitched roof is flipped, creating a dramatic skylight that collects rainwater for reuse throughout the pavilion. Meanwhile, the simple and open layout provides flexible ways for curators to present musical artworks and exhibitions in relation to the natural soundscape of the island and the river.

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Cross sections by Hajra Malik

sections rainwater → greywater

ETHAN CHENG | FALL 2024

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ETHAN CHENG | FALL 2024

01.2

A R C H I T E C T U R A L Project Role: Designer + Renderer

D E S I G N

arboris heights SPRING 2023

MASS - TIMBER HIGH RISE SKYSCRAPER 400 N ELIZABETH ST, CHICAGO IL TEAM: ETHAN CHENG + NASSER NDUHI

The Arboris Heights Project, located in Chicago’s vibrant West Loop, aims to transform a challenging urban site into a sustainable hub of community engagement. A high-rise office building that is seamlessly integrated with its surroundings, Arboris Heights combines a mass timber structure (whose 20’ x 20’ grid is also expressed on its façade), communitycentric design, and sustainability to redefine modern collaborative workspaces while harmonizing with the urban landscape.

This project is featured on Northwestern University’s Architectural Engineering & Design Minor website.

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EXPLORING MASSING OPTIONS

THE BUILDING IS PROGRESSIVELY CARVED OUT IN 20‘ x 20‘ STRUCTURAL GRID SEGMENTS THAT ARE REFLECTED ON THE FACADE AND THE LAYOUT

THROUGH ROTATING AND CARVING

Floor plans by Nasser Nduhi

ETHAN CHENG | FALL 2024

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ETHAN CHENG | FALL 2024

01.3

A R C H I T E C T U R A L

D E S I G N

Project Role: Co-Designer + Main District & Massing Renders

district west

F A L L 2023

MIXED-USE URBAN AND LANSCAPE DESIGN

W DIVERSEY/UP-NORTH/W FULLERTON/N WESTERN, CHICAGO IL TEAM: ETHAN CHENG + HAJRA MALIK + WILLIAM MARCHETTA

Located at the intersection between Logan Square and Lincoln Square, the design of District West is predicated on the idea of a central cultural core, enlivened by the river flowing through it, that stitches the surrounding urban fabric together. Drawing from the few major performance spaces in the Chicagoland area, the plan is centralized around a large proscenium theater. A library, museum, public park, and amphitheater support this performance space to create a core of cultural jewels that activate the riverfront for the residents of the district.

This project is featured on Northwestern University’s Architectural Engineering & Design Minor website.

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Axon by Hajra Malik

City Block Render by William Marchetta

ETHAN CHENG | FALL 2024

Performance Center

Library

Amphitheatre

Render by William Marchetta

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ETHAN CHENG | FALL 2024

01.4

A R C H I T E C T U R A L

MYAC concert hall D E S I G N

Project Role: Facade + Interior Renders, Modelwork

SUMMER 2 0 2 3

CULTURAL AND PERFORMING ARTS PROJECT 878 LYSTER RD, HIGHWOOD, IL LEADS: LARRY BOOTH, KELLY TANG, JOHN NEDEAU; INTERNS: ETHAN CHENG + NICK LORENZEN

As a summer intern working at Booth Hansen, a Chicago-based architecture firm, I was able to contribute to a project proposal for a new concert hall facility on the campus of the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory, a youth music and jazz organization based in Highwood, Illinois. Working under a team of professional architects, including firm founder Larry Booth, Associate Architect Kelly Tang, and Associate John Nedeau, fellow summer intern Nick Lorenzen and I created different interior design concepts for the lobby and auditorium, as well as several renderings of the project to be compiled into a proposal brief booklet for investors.

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ETHAN CHENG | FALL 2024

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Facade Renders by Polen Ton & Ethan Cheng

ETHAN CHENG | FALL 2024

01.5

A R C H I T E C T U R A L

D E S I G N

Project Role: Co-Designer + Interior Renders

bike barns

SPRING 2023

MIXED-USE PUBLIC SPORTS FACILITY 687 SHERIDAN RD, WILMETTE IL

TEAM: POLEN TON + MAIRI GLYNN + SHUTING LAI + ETHAN CHENG

Bike Barns is a hypothetical cycling center located near the Bahá’í Temple in Wilmette, Illinois. With a comprehensive list of facilities such as a full-service bike shop, café, spin studio, and multifunction event space, our focus for the building was on implementing high performance strategies throughout the design process. The façade of the cycling center is inspired by the natural wave of the irregularly shaped site as well as the adjacent North Shore Channel, while the curved curtain walls and vertical timber louvers maximize views of the Temple across the river and natural light throughout the building. Visitors can enter the center from multiple entry points on Sheridan Road: the main lobby in the middle, the bike shop to the right and the café to the left.

Several high-performance design elements are implemented throughout the center, such as the inclusion of an on-site energy generation system powered by wind turbines and solar PV arrays, a greywater system that recycles greywater from sinks and showers, and year-round air conditioning that utilizes a ground source heat pump for radiant floor heating.

This project is featured on Northwestern University’s Architectural Engineering & Design Minor website.

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ETHAN CHENG | FALL 2024

01.6

A R C H I T E C T U R A L

D E S I G N

park elementary

WINTER 2023

FULL-SERVICE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROJECT EVANSTON IL SOLO PROJECT

Park Elementary Evanston is designed to blur the lines between buildings and nature, between school and park. Inspired by the natural landform of the site and the lack of public green spaces in the area, the classrooms are embedded into the terrain, creating a sunken courtyard that provides an unobtrusive view of the greenery from the outside while maintaining privacy and security for students and faculty. The site is bookended by two main buildings that echo the rounded arches of the classrooms while providing ample and flexible spaces for educational uses.

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scenic & themed design

As a student at Northwestern University, I was fortunate enough to intersect my passion for architecture with my other interests in theatre and themed design through various avenues, ranging from theme park design competitions to theatre shows! Here are some of my favorite projects that I’ve worked on during my undergraduate career.

ETHAN CHENG | FALL 2024

Shedd Aquarium Concept Art — in collaboration with Anna Cao

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ETHAN CHENG | FALL 2024

photography

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As an amateur photographer, I am fascinated by the relationship between manmade structures and the natural landscapes they inhabit. During my travels around the globe, I am always on the lookout for opportunities to capture fleeting moments where the two intersect and fuse in unique ways.

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ethanykcheng@gmail.com

© Ethan Cheng 2024