Gordon Cheng Portfolio 2020

Gordon Cheng

PORTFOLIO

gordoncheng1231@gmail.com (646)641-5835 Portfolio

Gordon Cheng Education University of Pennsylvania l

Philadelphia, PA

Sep. 2019 - Dec. 2020

Master of Science in Design - Advanced Architectural Design

Pratt Institute l

Brooklyn, NY

Sep. 2014 - May 2019

Bachelor of Architecture

Notable Projects / Experiences Bio-Architecture Formosana l

Taipei, Taiwan

Jul. 2020 - Aug. 2020

Intern Architect Conducted thorough programmatic research, produced schematic designs and design development, performed spatial organization planning for eSports Arena in New Taipei City Tower with minimal guidance and supervision, and exceeded weekly targets.

Consolidated extensive research and revised designs into a streamlined presentation for the supervisor.

Produced designs and renderings for Macronix Innovation Center title block according to client requirements and addressed any concerns.

Rendered and edited Taichung Arena competition animation.

Inspected National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST) dormitory construction site.

Discrete Flux l

University of Pennsylvania, PA

Jan. 2020 - May. 2020

Co-Designer Coordinated robotic weaving process and formulated solutions to robot failures and malfunctions.

Designed jigs and monitored weaving experiment using robotic arm.

Utilized After Effects and Adobe Premiere to prepare 3D animation renderings.

Produced on-site elevation, diagram, and rendering.

Research was featured on professor’s website: https://compositeform.squarespace.com/discrete-flux

HBA Architecture & Interior Design l

Virginia Beach, VA

Dec. 2019 - Jan. 2020

Intern Architect Produced 3D blueprint models for two military storage bays and two school projects using Revit.

Produced presentation board with InDesign and Photoshop that was displayed at company’s entrance.

Organized construction documents and specification sheets.

Updated and organized architectural product library.

Forward Work l

New York City, NY

Sep. 2017 - Dec. 2017

Intern Architect Drafted roofing details for construction documents.

Revised building plans and sections based on newly produced roofing details.

StudioTeka l

Brooklyn, NY

Jul. 2017 - Aug. 2017

Intern Architect Produced 3D models with Rhino, Animated Brazil project with Maya, and edited animations with Adobe Premiere & After Effects for publication Project: 2100: A Dystopian Utopia – The City After Climate Change Produced and edited animations for a video clip that StudioTeka used during negotiations with Discovery for a documentary on climate change.

Learned and increased Maya, Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects knowledge/skills, which resulted in meeting strict deadlines.

Skills Drafting & Modeling Rhino, AutoCAD, Maya, Revit, Fusion 360 Editing & Graphics Illustrator, Photoshop, Indesign, After Effects, Premiere Rendering Keyshot, Lumion, Enscape, V-ray

Refereneces Edward Madocks l Partner, Forward Work l em@forwardwork.net Joe Bovee l Principal, HBA Architecture & Interior Design l JoeB@hbaonline.com Ching Huang Cheng l Director, Bio-architecture Formosana l Chinghuang@bioarch.com.tw

Content

academic 1-12

UPS DISTRIBUTION HUB

13-22

OPOSSUM CULTIVATION CENTER

23-32

EDEN research

33-40

DISCRETE FLUX

41-48

WALKING ON SUNSHINE professional

49-52

NEW TAIPEI TOWER ESPORTS ARENA

53-56

MACRONIX INNOVATION CENTER TITLE BLOCK

UPS DISTRIBUTION HUB

Critic: Ali Rahim, Nate Hume, Brian De Luna Partner: Jing Yuan, Dianqiu Zheng

UPS Distribution Hub explores the relationship between humans and machines. The tension created between these two users opens up the question whether machines are to be treated as an active user in architecture, as well as how machines could change the typology of architecture.

Long Section Novelty and innovation in aesthetics is directly tied to technique and technology. To be influential and impactful in culture, architects must understand what technologies are at the forefront in their day, develop techniques that utilize these technologies for novel aesthetics, and find a way to make them architecturally useful and relevant. Recognizing the potential of technology, UPS Distribution Hub seeks to utilize technology’s capability of travelling liberately in between spaces; breaks free from the restrictions of the X, Y, Z axis, UPS Distribution Hub developed a technique that allowed machines to travel in and out, up and down. The technique utilized in UPS Distribution Hub is an universal language that spaces are created; a petal- like geometry that fully utilizes the potential of technology. Bringing the possibilities of technology upfront, human occupied spaces are invented within the complex structure supporting machines. Embedded within the machines, the interactions between machines and humans are emphasized with the petal geometry, building up a tension between the two drastically different users.

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Elevation

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Plan

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Short Section

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OPOSSUME CULTIVATION CENTER

Critic: Cathryn Dwyre

A new ecosystem experimentation comprised of a much needed community compost operation, as well as a community and gathering place. It would be supporting an ecological experiment of sorts, instigated by non-human occupation provide for the propagation of an opossum community growth and associated species in the ecosystem.

Formal Diagram/Programmatic Diagram The architecture seeks to address a disease that’s rapidly spreading in Hudson, and in general, the Hudson River Valley: Lyme’s disease. In this community center that cultivates opossums to combat lyme disease caused by ticks, the design begins to blur the boundary between architecture and landscape, inside and outside, human and non-human programs. This “artificial” intervention aims to support an artificial ecosystem with opossums, and other species, such as mice, shrew, and rabbits, as the center and its artificial “ecologies” begin to take hold, and more understanding of local, opossum trails and migration habits as well as potentially supporting advantageous species in their ecosystem. The blurring of architecture and landscape begins with site orientation, characterized by steep slopes comprised of two hills with a slight saddle in between, and a topography, largely taken over by vegetation. The building forms a seamless connection between its profile and the topography of the landscape.

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ADDITIONAL PREP FOR PLANTING

BASE PREP

VARIABLE SOIL DEPTH 1'-0" - 3' -0" DRAINAGE LAYERS 1"

GROWING MEDIUM FILTER FABRIC DRAINAGE MAT ROOT BLOCKER

1/4" PRIMARY WATERPROOFING 1/2" 10"

ASPHALT PROTECTION BOARD HOT RUBBERIZED ASPHALT POLYESTER FABRIC HOT RUBBERIZED ASPHALT PRIMER EXISTING CONCRETE TUB

EDUCATIONAL CENTER

EDUCATINOAL SPACE TEACHING CHILDREN OR SCHOOLS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT COMPOST, THE TYPES OF COMPOST THERE ARE AND HOW COMPOST BRINGS BENEFITS TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE COMMUNITY.

COMPOST SIMULATION

INTRODUCING PEOPLE TO HOW TO MAKE COMPOST BY LEADING THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS OF COMPOST BY PHYSICALLY INVOLVING IN THE PROCESS

FARMERS MARKET

FARMERS MARKET SUPPLYING LOCAL GROWN FOOD GROWN WITH THE USE OF LOCAL COMPOST. NOT ONLY PROVIDES THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH HEALTHY FOOD, BUT ALSO HELPS BOND THE COMMUNITY COMPOST WITH LOCAL FARMS

COMPOST SITE

MAIN SPACE FOR THE MAKING OF COMPOST. AFTER THE BICYCLES TAKING IN WASTES FROM THE TRUCKS, WASTES ARE SEPERATED INTO PILES FOR DECOMPOSITION AND RECYCLING. THE SPACE IS ALSO THE CENTER OF AN ARTIFICIAL ECOSYSTEM, PROVIDING FOOD RESOURCE FOR VARIOUS SPECIES

PARKING

PARKING FOR VISITORS, TRUCKS, AND BICYCLES. THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE TRUCKS BRING IN WASTES FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEN TRANSFER THEM ON TO THE BICYCLES, TAKING THEM TO COMPOST SITE

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HUDSON VALLEY 17

HUDSO

ON, NY

N

10'

20'

40'

80'

N 2ND ST & MILL ST 18

SLOPE

E

P SLO

PE

SLO

SLOPE

PE

SLO

PE

SLO

PE

SLO

PE

SLO

N 1A

1B

10'

20'

40'

80'

Plan A

COMPOST SUCCESSIONAL FOREST

NON-HUMAN CORRIDOR

NON-HUMAN CORRIDOR

PARKING HUMAN CORRIDOR

MEADOW

SCALE 1/8"

Section 1A 19

Morning (top) / Night (bottom) Render 20

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EDEN

Critic: Michael Morris, Jeremiah Joseph Partner: Jackson Behre, Ariel Benhamu, Belen Cavdar, Diane Cheng, Justin Creese, Kat Donnelly, Eda Güral, Zakaria Mannan, Aleyna Türker, Ming Qin

Eden is a Mars Transit Hub that carries large quantities of crew members, food and supplies from Earth to Mars. The focus of the project is to create a temporary living environment that focuses on human health and food production.

Eden Mock Up The goal of Eden is to bring people over to Mars colonies while prioritizing the health and overall wellbeing of crew members during transport; maintaining comfort conditions similar to that of Earth. On the ISS, astronauts have to work multiple hours a day as to prevent bone and muscle mass loss. Mars Transit Hub tackles this issue by providing an environment that puts its crew in a constant 1G environment. Through a balance of work space and leisure space, people can maintain a healthy mental state while in space for a long period of time. The leisure space encourages the crew to interact with other people, while also giving people places to seclude themselves through private spaces. Some of these programs have people interacting directly with plant life with each plant having a different effect on a member of the spacecraft.

EDEN’s other goal is to carry both food and supplies from Earth to Mars. The spacecraft has a hydroponic system that feeds both the entire crew on the ship along with extra food to be stored and delivered on Mars. This provides a constant food supply that is not only self sustainable, but also creates a surplus amount of product to help the colonies developing on Mars.

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AIRLOCK CONSTRUCTION 30

AIRLOCK DESIGN

1 ENTRANCE TO SPOKE 1

3 2 HATCH TO AIRLOCK

4 2

3 ECLSS 5

4 ENTRANCE TO RING

5 STORAGE

6 7

6 EQUIPMENT LOCK 4 7 CREW LOCK Aluminum Insulation Nextel (6) Kevlar (6) Pressure Shell

SECTION A

SECTION B

SECTION C

60’ SECTION A

12’

7.25’

19’

7.25’

12’

3’

17’

6’

30’ 7’

6’

3’

1’

5’

10’

15’ A

31

B

C

LEGEND GAS STORAGE PRESSURE CONTROL AIR REVITALIZATION FIRE DETECTION & ATMOSPHERE RECOVERY WASTE PROCESSING PRIMARY WATER STORAGE POTABLE WATER STORAGE ACTIVE HEAT COLLECTION ACTIVE HEAT TRANSPORT ACTIVE HEAT REJECTION

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DISCRETE FLUX

Critic: Ezio Blasetti Partner: Jing Yuan

Discrete Flux researches on algorithmic generative methods and the use of carbon fiber in robotics for architectural design. The research will focus on the intersection of computation, form generation, simulation and robotic fabrication.

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Hybrid Gyroid Catalog This research uses algorithmic generative methods and the use of carbon fiber in robotics for architectural design. The objective is to develop and document specific computational tools and material prototypes than span across design phases, from concept to fabrication. The project will focus on the design of an integrated computational building unit; Scale, Assembly and Part-to-Whole Relationships are part of the design problem. The ‘Building Unit’ in this case operates as the synthetic atom between the definition of space, the robotic material deposition and the real time data exchange. Fibrous structures, complex nets with embeded processors and positioned in larger assemblies, will be tested for their structural stability, behavior and architectural character.

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WALKING ON SUNSHINE

Critic: Sameer Kumar, Mark Nicol Partner: Natalia Revelo, Atharva Ranade

Walking On Sunshine will explore a design methodology that seeks to build sophisticated digital and physical parametric models. These models will parameterize real world metrics related to structural behavior and material performance.

Digital & Physical Form Finding The process of formation, analysis, and refinement developed through the research will assist the exploration of the relationships between form, structure, and materials with an emphasis on efficiency and functionalism. This line of inquiry is also inspired by designers and academics such as Louis Kahn, Le Ricolais, Peter McCleary, Detlef Mertins, and Cecil Balmond, and they have shaped how we think about the poetics, capabilities and possible futures at the heart of the intersection of material behavior, structural performance and morphogenesis. Our focus is on exploring this synergistic relationship through hands on experimentation with structurally active models and the development of dynamic, iterative, digital simulations. The design component of the research will begin with the exploration of fundamental structural and material principles through the creation of abstract structurally active models.

Exploring principles such as flexure, anticlastic curvature, tension, thrust, etc.

These studies will be refined and enriched through iteration, digital simulation, and critical analysis.

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NEW TAIPEI TOWER ESPORTS ARENA

Office: Bio-architecture Formosana

New Taipei City government wanted an eSports Arena in their New Taipei Tower project. Although both the city government and the office lacked the experience of designing an eSports arena, I was able to research and compile all eSports related data and design the programmatic layout of the building within a strict schedule.

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Digital & Physical Form Finding New Taipei City government wanted an eSports Arena in the New Taipei Tower in Sanchong Public Market, since the firm had no experience in designing eSports Arenas, I was tasked to research relevant information regarding eSports and eSports Arena design. These floor plans showcased the schematic design of each floor in New Taipei Tower in different design stages, which demonstrated the knowledge I learned from my research. Besides eSports Arena designs, I also worked on parking layout, commerical layout, cafeteria layout, and gaming cafe layout. While designing these programs, I had to learn New Taipei building codes promptly in order to submit the design to the clients on time without them correct me from trivial mistakes.

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MACRONIX INNOVATION CENTER TITLE BLOCK

Office: Bio-architecture Formosana

To celebrate the 90th anniversary of National Cheng Kung University, the CEO of Macronix donated an innovation center to the university. The CEO of Macronix requested to have his calligraphy transformed into a title block at the entrance along with its english title.

Title Block Samples To honor the 90th anniversary of National Cheng Kung University, the CEO of Macronix - Mi In Wu donated a building for the university as an innovation center. Celebrating the completion of the innovation center, Mi In Wu wrote the title of the innovation center in calligraphy and requested to have the title put at the entrance of the building along with its english title. These samples showcased different ideas on how the the title should be represented, as well as how the chinese and english title could correspond to each other.

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