PORTFOLIO hanyi
Portfolio
Hanyi 韩薏 birthday: 01. June 1996 nationality: Singapore Email: han.yi@u.nus.edu Wechat: hanhanhanyi Instagram: @hanko_san website: https://hanyi-design.wixsite.com/hanyi
Architectural Thesis | Spatial Design
Moulding Fantasy Sculpting, shaping and manifesting curves and curiosities.
Academic Design Independent Work Spring 2020-2021 (Masters Thesis) National University of Singapore Tutor: Ar. Wu Yen Yen The thesis is about exploring the discipline of architecture through an unproductive, hedonistic lens, about shaping spaces such that interacting with it is instinctive, primal and not predefined. It is about letting one's body move and interact with its surroundings intuitively. The thesis is about provocation, inducing a certain type of play and imagination both through materialistic exploration and spatial movement. The thesis asks questions about pleasure, desire, seduction, senses, imagination, and curiosity in the discipline of architecture. The thesis is also about gently nudging architecture off its pedestal and taking it a bit less seriously by playing, toying, and experimenting with reality and fantasy.
The layer of the object - of space, of the physical object environment, of building extracted from maps, plans, and photographs. The layer of event - the intrusion of bodies, the moment we impose on the physical space, the program in moments and sequence, our movement, actions, interaction and vulnerability. Most importantly, the layer of fantasy - the image of the space, which could be entirely independent of the physical space, happening completely in our heads, it is the appropriation and the creative process when one impose their imagination upon the follies.
A total of 21 follies are manifested as my architectural consequence. They were moulded through an intuitive and exploratory process with emphasis on materiality, atmosphere, and the way they provoke movement and curiosity. It aims to defend public spaces and work quietly with it to empower the public.
Ultimately, the thesis has through various means of research and development to visualise, probe, invite imagination and eventually manifest these concepts in space. The thesis is driven by a personal fascination - one that is eager to engage architecture in an intimate and provocative way. In its process realising the inexplicability of architecture, where objectivity meets divine, where reason meets madness, where reality meets fantasy.
SUPERVISOR’S COMMENT (Ar. Wu Yen Yen)： Imagine a city that does not believe in sensuality, play and creativity; that spaces of delight, seduction and desire are only servitude to education, purpose and productivity. Han Yi’s agent provocateur frames sensuality as a notion of space-time, a projection of the mind, as well as a construct of permissions and transgressions manifest in a corporeal affordance in everyday urbanism; one that has been robbed from our homes and civic space. Her thesis pares back space-form-society into our basic instincts and fantasies, and celebrates what seems like a narcissistic indulgence of all human want, where in fact, it is these unspeakable instincts, the illogical delight and the irrational attraction that makes for the most human of all engagements.
Architectural Work| Master Planning
Flexcity The sharing city of Chinatown
Academic Design Group work Spring 2020 (Year 4) National University of Singapore Tutor: Zhang Ye
How does a city work? How do we share our resources with the rest of the city? How do we move, live, play, work, earn, and make in this city? This is a project about systems and urban planning, managing an urban area of more than 10,000m2 and a population of more than 5,000 residents and vendors. Our vision is to redevelop Chinatown in the next 10 years to be a completely self-sustainable sharing city. In collaboration with Tsing Hua University and DP architects, this project is to be looked at from a perspective that is futuristic, economical, and imaginative.
Programmatic Master Plan
Master Plan
Site infrastructure implementation
Site infrastructure implementation
User Consideration
User analysis
Co-living Strategy - Modules
First Level
4 Sharing Units
Second Level
Each residential module is made up of 4 appartments across two floors connected to a common corridor. Each apartment have 3 rooms, one room is dedicated for the elderly. Each unit type is then joined with the adjacent module forming shared facilities such as the common corridor spaces, balconies, and common kitchen with each other. These modules further align to form a whole corridor.
Third Level
Two Modules Combined
Co-living Strategy - Side Modules
Each block type on site is rigorously designed to fit the original plan and structure of the building. Flexible spaces is introduced to the end blocks to provide urban farming and pod-integration.
Permutations
Co-living Strategy - Corridor
Pods customisation
Each level presents a customisable flexible space, empty from the begining, and slowly customised by the residents collectively, forming desired configurations. Some examples are shown here. A maximum of 7 Pods can fit into this space. These pods are also used in the rest of the city to provide flexibility in retail, learning, and transportation.
Lobby Strategy
Garden Lobby
Community kitchen Lobby
Corridor Lobby
Lobby view
PPC Lobby View Connecting to various grounds floors, podiums and gardens, the lobby strategy of each of these connections are different, accomodating the different typology on site and also giving flexibility in terms of execution of similar block units. The lobby volumn is a double story space, consisting of convinience shops, common lounges, waiting area, letter boxes and community kitchens.
Architectural Work| Spatial Adaptation
The New C-Building A redesign of the Tsinghua’s C-building
Academic Design Pair Work w/ Thomas Cabai (ilt) Winter 2019 (Year 4) Tsinghua University Tutors: Li Xiaodong Martijn de Geus
The brief allows us to rethink the existing C-shaped building on campus. It is a place with a huge variety of activities and it has a dire need to express that diversity. Our strategy was to express the inside to the outside by altering the facade. This way, the dynamic qualities of the space can be shown through minimal intervention. More spaces are then created and the landscape is opened up to allow more porosity.
Overall landscape layout design
Site plan before intervention
Original fro
Original bac
New front
New back
ont facade
ck facade
t facade
k facade
Counselling Bridge
Walkway to TaoliYuan
Back Facade View
Lecture Hall View
Spatial Collage
Counselling Block
Lecture hall
Zoning Modules
Floor
“Interviews”
We had a lot of fun trying to interpret what people will think of our new building, at the same time featuring the spatial elements that we deem important.
As a part of a pitch to actual clients considering to renovate the actual C-building, we see this as a move to engage the client further showing our consideration for the users.
Architectural Work|A Spatial Experience
Together Alone A solo journey of hydrotheraphy in a public space
Academic Design Solo Work Spring 2019 (Year 3) National Univeristy of Singapore Tutor: Wu Yen Yen
The project explores the idea of being alone in the public realm, putting into perspective the concept of threshold and personal space. The architecture is designed to be explored alone, at the same time it continuously questions the idea of aloneness through different type of curated spatial experiences. The journey ends with a leap from the second floor into the pool, offering visual connection, which is also consistently presented in the architetcure in many forms.
First Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
Vignettes
Front Elevation
Side Elevation
Section A
Section B
Architectural Work| Spatial Design
Frozen Conversation A pedagogy in space
Academic Design Solo Work Spring 2017 (Year 2) National Univeristy of Singapore Tutor: Swinal Samant
In this project, the ways of architecture as a pedagogy is explored. "How can architetcure teach about climate change?" was the question in mind when designing the museum. The architecture was built across a river that have its water level fluctuate 3 meters across seasons. The museum is dedicated to the teaching of rising sea level and its detrimental effects. In response to that, spaces are designed to be engulfed in water, making it more difficult to cross and to nagivate. The curated difficulty offers an experience for the museum goers on the actual effects of the problem of rising sea levels.
SECTION A - A’
SECTION C - C’
O U T D O O R P L AYGROUND/RES T
SECTIONAL PERSPECTIVE CUT PLANT OBSERVATION DECK RESTING AREA
CENTRAL COU R T YARD INFORMATI ON CAFE
S E A L E V E L CH A N GE GA L L E RY
PLANT OBSERVATION DECK
SECTION B - B’
UIUX/Website Deisgn| Visual Design/Communications
Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei Asia Website Design and research
Company Website Design Team Aug 2021- Dec 2021
“Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei Asia” (MJSA) has been
sharing the same website with its headquarters company “Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei” (MJS) for the last 5 years since its establishment. This project is a design task to establish its own website identity yet still retain its association with MJS. It is designed with simplicity in mind, that information and its structure should be spatial, easy to find, and beautiful.
Please note that this project shown is under NDA and should not be shared with others
A scene I sketched for the company greeting card animation
Understanding the problem 1. Lack of identity For the past 5 years since its establishment, MJSA has been sharing the same website as its headquarters MJS. It is sometimes confusing when trying to navigate to MJSA. A lot of potential job seekers and clients might exit if they are unable to locate MJSA specifically.
1. Irrelevant information All information available on the “about” page is not representative of MJSA, it is also cluttered and wordy.
3. Project showcase It is almost impossible to find MJSA’s projects on this website as it is overshadowed by hundreds of other more prominent projects. The project detail pages are also only brief and documentative. Due to the screen size, it is not possible to toggle the photographs and view the full photo at the same time. Users would have to scroll up and down to go through the pictures. This is also an issue that needs to be tackled on the new MJS website.
The Process Information Architecture Simple information architecture was established in a basic attempt at site hierarchy and organization after some research on other architectural websites. Notable in this early design are the three main pages (works, about, contact) that include all the various subcategories. All the excessive information from MJS’s past website was removed - library, news, etc. Information was streamlined and reorganized.
Prototype and wireframe Low fidelity designs were created as an early attempt to develop content and establish placement of the content hierarchy throughout the homepage and project pages. We attempted a clean, minimal style, maintaining spatial awareness but at the same time not too far off from HQ pages in terms of branding.
Iterations
Multiple iterations were made to explore visual balance, designed alongside the copy for the website.
High fidelity he top page is finally put together in a simple, clean, and spatial style. Each section is visually distinguishable from the next. Plenty of space in between each section to provide importance and negative space for users to focus on each section. Multiple rounds of user testings were done to identify usability issues and visual navigation. For example, the shape of the graphic for the News and Work section is switched to give more attention to the Works.
The project detail page is also one of the most important pages to improve on, a split-screen design is implemented such that the project description will always stay on screen even as the graphics on the right continue to scroll downwards. More graphics, captions, and details are accommodated without losing the key information and statistics.
The About page design and the copy is also tailored to MJSA’s identity, the members’ individual photo and role are also featured here as MJSA is a much smaller team. MJSA also want to be closer to their client. For the purpose of the website, a professional photoshoot is even arranged for all members. The page now is a lot cleaner, less cluttered, and much more personalised.
The mobile version has also undergone the same design process simultaneously. Simplifying even more in an attempt to adapt to the smaller screen. Some long copies and complex designs are also left out for a clean look.
Conclusion After three months of ideation and going through these design processes, the website is due to launch in a few weeks. The website aims to distinguish MJSA from MJS yet remain respectful and connected to its origin. The website is still young and there are not too many projects to be featured, this was taken into consideration and also informed a lot of our design choices. However, as the company and project amount grow, undoubtedly the website will also need to shift accordingly. I wish that I had more access to my target group, more user research will definitely help to piece together the mindset of our end-user.
Campaign| Design/Photography/Spatial Exhibition
The Body+ Campaigns A movement on Body Positivity
A self initiated Campaign With Shirin Keshvani and Sonia Arumuganainar Ella Wee
Spring 2018 and Spring 2020
Two separate campaigns executed two years apart. Intensively intimate photoshoot and interviews was carried out with 16 individuals on their relationship with their bodies. It's inexplicable because you see things no one else sees, you want things you can't have, you have things you don't acknowledge, people say things that don't matter. Ultimately what we found out is we all have a story with our bodies, and we can all afford to be a bit kinder. I conceptualised and executed the two campaigns as a designer, photographer, and curator.
"I can (now) rationalise that all bodies are different and different is good. Back then, my mentality was that if you're not that (ideal) then you're the problem, not society. While you can rationalise that, those problematic thoughts keep creeping back from time to time."" time.
“I guess it never escapes me, the idea of having a good body. It still follows me around but I'm not ashamed of it.” it.”
Magazine| Visual Design/Print/Communications/Editorial
Curios Magazine design Editorial and cover page design
A College Thought Collective With Design team and Editorial Team
Spring 2018 - Spring 2020
An annually published creative magazine, collective works of poems, proses, photographs, art, and design. With the intention to advocate for the accessibility of art, poetry, and literature. Graphic editorial design plays a huge part in reaching our audience. Every issue has a different theme, selection of works, with different authors and curation team.
2020 issue cover page themed “taste”
soietrsaut c
curios taste
6 eussI
Issue 6
| issue 6 |
taste
soietrsaut c
curios taste
6 eussI
Issue 6
| issue 6 |
taste
2019 issue cover page themed “the colours of” issue 5 |
the colour of
curios the colour of Issue 5
MAROON I drew a sunset in your blood. There is beauty aside from you: Your metaphorical death; How you wore the same color of my cheeks / of your lips. I drew blood from a beating heart, masochistic for a setting like this sunset in my stomach; You rose in the darkest shade, canopy of a colder beach. Left my mind ashore, stranded in this yearn. You color / you consume me.
Illustrations| Visual Communications/Editorial
Ease Illustration Commission For blogs, campaigns and online education
A Women’s Contraception Start-Up https://www.ease-healthcare.com/
Commission artist
2020 Summer - 2021 Summer
Ease is a digital health startup focused on making access to sensitive health services more convenient, affordable, and inclusive. The team is made up of doctors, activists, and creatives on a mission to raise awareness about sensitive healthcare issues like sexual health and develop solutions to make taking care of yourself a simple and empowering experience. I was engaged as a commissioned artist creating editorial art and comics for blogs and campaigns.
hanyi 2021