PORTFOLIO_HAOCHEN_HE_ROBIN

PORTFOLIO | HAOCHEN HE SELECTED WORK B.ARCH | CORNELL UNIVERSITY

PRACTICE PROJECTS

1. Wuyuanwan Wetland Park TOD .................................................... 03 Integration of Human Activities and Urban Lifes with Nature Commercial, Mixed-use, TOD | Xiamen, China | Summer, 2023

2. Anta Academy ............................................................................................ 05 A Campus Dedicated to Learning and Research for a Sports Brand Cultural, Corporate | Jinjiang, China | Summer, 2023

3. Anta R&D and Production Center ................................................. 07 High-tech and Comfortable Environments for Research and Production Lab, Corporate | Jinjiang, China | Summer, 2023

ACADEMIC PROJECTS

4. Campus Rennovation of Jinling Middle School .................. 09 Modernize the Campus while Preserving the Historic Essence Academic | Chongqing, China | Winter, 2020/21

6. Digital Oasis: Data-Driven Ecosphere Retreat .................. 14 Integration of Data within the Intimate Spaces with Vertical Farming Hospitality, Infrastructure | Brooklyn, NY | Fall, 2023

5. The South Villa ............................................................................................ 1 1 Transform a 1940s Homestead to a Boutique Residential Apartment Residential, Hospitality | Chengdu, China | Summer, 2021

7. Terraflare: Uniting Air, Fire, And Community ....................... 16 Climate Uncertainties: Mitigating Wildfire While Capturing CO2 Landscape, Infrastructure | Angeles National Forest, CA | Fall, 2023

8. The Wound of The City ....................................................................... 20 Memorial of Strategic Bombing: Sorrow of Loss and the Spirit of Hope Cultural | Chongqing, China | Summer, 2021

9. “In-Between Public” Recreation Park ......................................

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Colorful Recreational Park to Revitalize the Shoreline After Natual Disaster Cultural, Infrastructure | Staten Island, NY | Spring, 2022

10. Solitude + ................................................................................................... 26 Seamless Integration Of Nature, Privacy, and Social Connectivity Residential | Chongqing, China | Summer, 2020

Practice Projects | Academic Projects

01.

WUYUANWAN WETLAND PARK TRANSIT-ORIENTED-DEVELOPMENT Project Location: Xiamen, China Project Type: Intern @ AECOM Participation: 5 weeks, 2023 Supervisor: Huang Lu @ AECOM During my internship at AECOM, I significantly contributed to the TOD Development project in Xiamen, aimed at integrating a commercial space with a forest-like landscape, including the nearby wetland park. This project forms Xiamen’s ‘new green living room’ with a connecting walkway network. Under my supervisor’s mentorship, I focused on designing distinctive elements along this walkway, including a bird-watching platform, observation platform, and lookout pavilion, integrating them with the cityscape and natural surroundings. I explored various materials and patterns for railings and roofs to enhance these structures. Additionally, I worked on the facade development of a prominent office tower, introducing a ‘peeled-off’ design concept to create a seamless transition between commercial spaces. This involved revising construction drawings and preparing renderings for the tower and walkway, aiding in client communication and project alignment with our architectural vision.

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

Bird Watching Platform A

Walkways Connecting with the City

B

A

Lookout Pavilion (Southern Side) B

C

D

Iconic Forest City

Lookout Platform (Western Side) C

Peeled-off Facade of the Office Tower D

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

02.

ANTA ACADEMY Project Location: Jinjiang, China Project Type: Intern @ AECOM Participation: 3 weeks, 2023 Supervisor: Song Ying @ AECOM During my summer internship at AECOM, I was involved in the design of the entrance gate for Anta Academy, a campus dedicated to learning and research for a prominent sports brand. Our vision was to blend contemporary design with traditional elements, drawing inspiration from Minnan architecture and culture to create a space that feels both modern and steeped in history, reminiscent of ancestral dwellings. The gate’s design was grandiose in scale, reflecting the magnificence of the academy, while ensuring a seamless integration with adjacent structures: a cultural exhibition hall and a reception hall. The form of the gate was modeled after ancient gate structures found in Jinjiang city, a region known for its rich history and unique cultural heritage. This design choice not only honored the local architectural legacy but also imbued the academy’s entrance with a sense of timehonored grandeur and cultural significance.

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

Entrance & Square of Anta Academy

Campus Entrance Skyline

Entrance of Anta Academy

Qinglian Temple, Jinjiang

Shanmen Stone Archway, Jinjiang

Magnificent Local Landmarks

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

03.

ANTA R&D AND PRODUCTION CENTER Project Location: Jinjiang, China Project Type: Intern @ AECOM Participation: 2 weeks, 2023 Supervisor: Song Ying @ AECOM During my summer 2023 internship, I contributed to the schematic interior design of the reception hall in Anta’s Research and Development Center, a renowned sports brand. The building, featuring a distinctive rounded corner in its southeastern section, inspired our interior design concept focused on incorporating ‘curved’ elements. Guided by the associate director, I developed a design scheme that harmonized white aluminum for walls and ceilings with a wood grille background at the front desk and white marble flooring. I paid special attention to ensuring smooth transitions, particularly at the junctions of ceilings and walls, by designing them to be curved. My proposal encompassed meticulous detail, covering aspects such as material choices, lighting conditions, and the design of the elevator hall, escalator, and ceiling pattern, to create a cohesive and elegant interior space.

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

C

G

B

A

D

E

F

A

B

Section: Reception Hall

C Rounded Corner Connection

D Curved Frontdesk and Chairs E Rounded Corner Elevator Entrance F Rounded Corner Column G Curved Glass Curtain Wall

Ceiling Boundary A Rounded-corner Ceiling Light B Escalator Bottom C Rectangular Ceiling Light D Wood Grille

Light Marble Floor

Dark Brushed Steel

Light Aluminum

D

A

C

B

A

Curved Glass Curtain Wall in Reception Hall

Reception Hall

Ceiling Pattern

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

04.

CAMPUS RENNOVATION OF JINLING MIDDLE SCHOOL Project Location: Chongqing, China Project Type: Intern @ CQ Design Institue Participation: 3 weeks, 2021 Supervisor: Wang Qi @ CQ Design Institue During my winter 2020 internship at Chongqing Design Institute, I was integral to the renovation project of Jinling Middle School in Wanzhou, Chongqing, China. The project’s aim was to modernize the campus while preserving the historic essence of its red-brick buildings. My involvement was primarily in the project’s later stages, focusing on reinforcing one of the buildings with a steel frame and redesigning its facade. The new facade featured innovative folded perforated aluminum sheets. These sheets, designed to slide along grooves, covered the windows with perforated panels to create soft, diffused lighting inside classrooms, ideal for student nap times. Additionally, the facade’s color scheme of white and red was carefully chosen to echo the original white stone and red brick of the buildings constructed last century, ensuring a harmonious blend of modernity and tradition in the school’s revitalized appearance.

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

1

2 The frame is hung with Eterra board, sprayed with off-white real stone paint

Steel frame

3 Walls attached to the frame

4

Original Form

Addition of Sloped Roof Structure and Decorative Structure

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Original structure Aluminum alloy keel 3 White imitation stone veneer mortar (5mm) 4 Aluminum veneer decorative window covers 5 Red thick imitation brick facing mortar (5mm) 1

2

Grey Spray

Addition of a Colonnade & Aluminum Alloy Plates

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

05.

THE SOUTH VILLA Project Location: Chengdu, China Project Type: Intern @ PLATASIA Participation: 6 weeks, 2021 Supervisor: Liu Guowei @ PLATASIA During my summer 2021 internship, I participated in the renovation of a rural building, originally a 1940s homestead with a courtyard in Chengdu, China. The project aimed to transform this structure into a dual-purpose space: a boutique residential apartment for a family and an Airbnb during their absence. The design concept focused on creating a warm, inviting atmosphere that seamlessly integrated the surrounding natural landscape into the living experience.

Working alongside two senior architects, my primary responsibility was the spatial design of the restaurant, living room, and an adjoining corridor. In these areas, I strategically used different patterns of wood grilles to define the indoor spatial layout. A key feature of my design was opening up the northern sides of the restaurant and living room towards the corridor, enhancing views of the adjacent pond. This design choice, complemented by ceiling-to-floor windows, not only brought the outdoor landscape indoors but also visually expanded the space, blending the natural with the built environment in a harmonious and inviting manner.

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

First Floor Plan

Second Floor Plan

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

A. Courtyard near the pond

A. Courtyard near the pond

B. Restaurant

C. Living Room

B

A

C

A

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

06.

DIGITAL OASIS: DATA-DRIVEN ECOSPHERE RETREAT Project Location: Brooklyn, NY Project Type: Academic Work Duration: 10 weeks, Fall 2023 Teammate: Anthony Zheng Instructor: Eduardo Cilleruelo Our innovative proposal transforms aging structures into multifunctional skyscraper hotels, blending history with futurism. The exterior features vertical farms that double as facades for cutting-edge data centers, preserving the buildings’ historical

frames.

This

dual-purpose

design

promotes

sustainability while maintaining architectural heritage. Inside, guests will discover interactive holographic spaces, creating a unique blend of digital and physical experiences. Adjacent data centers enhance this interaction, offering seamless access to various digital services. These centers also support the vertical farms, utilizing their heat output to foster plant growth, exemplifying a harmonious blend of technology and nature. This skyscraper hotel concept represents a new era of urban living. It’s a dynamic space where history, technology, and sustainability converge, offering rest, digital immersion, and a connection to nature. The project is more than an architectural feat; it’s a vision for a multifaceted, sustainable future, symbolizing the balance between urbanization, ecological responsibility, and historical preservation.

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

07.

TERRAFLARE: UNITING AIR, FIRE, AND COMMUNITY Project Location: Los Angeles, CA Project Type: Academic Work Duration: 13 weeks, Fall 2023 Teammate: Haoyang Li Instructor: Farzin Lotfi-Jam The design originates from an exploration of ‘Climate Uncertainties,’ with a focus on addressing climate challenges and envisioning a decarbonized and decolonized future from diverse perspectives. It delves into specific cases, people, and circumstances, employing microhistory to intensively study direct air capture technology in Iceland and wildfire events in Indonesia. This approach creates a powerful focal point by collecting and analyzing various historical strands, thus lending significant force to the study. The microhistory element uncovers potential synergies between wildfire management and carbon emissions, inspiring a new project typology to address climate uncertainties effectively.

The project situates itself in California as a representative example, with the potential to scale the data and conclusions globally. It transcends being merely a defensive strategy against wildfires, evolving into a proactive measure aimed at achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 in LA County. This approach signifies a paradigm shift in how we manage climate risks, highlighting how embracing uncertainty can foster innovative risk management and intervention designs.

Ultimately, this project stands as a testament to the power and necessity of interdisciplinary collaboration in tackling complex climate challenges, aligning seamlessly with the broader goals of The 2030 Project to bridge the gap between academia and societal needs.

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

THE SYSTEM | DESIGN BASED ON SIMULATION

SPECIFIC STRATEGY | SITE ANALYSIS

In the high-risk valley areas of the Angeles National Forest, characterized by wildfire acceleration uphill, our system introduces fire breaks along mountain slopes and a fire dike along the main ridge, extending east to west against the northeast winds. This system, featuring a fire dike made of rammed earth dug to bedrock, creates distinct fire spread and safety zones. Simulations show a 49% reduction in fire spread and significant CO2 savings. Our strategy includes Direct Air Capture towers at key peaks and is designed for replication across eleven identified high-risk sites within the forest.

Leveraging interdisciplinary knowledge and state-of-the-art tools like digital twins, generative AI programming, and direct air capture technology, we propose a dualsystem approach. Our proposal includes the construction of fire breaks and fire dikes, strategically designed to combat the spread of wildfires. In addition, we introduce Direct Air Capture and Storage technology at key mountain peaks, aiming to control wildfires and reduce carbon emissions effectively.

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

Circulation

Rain Collection

Structure System

Battery

Direct Air Capture & Storage

Dew Harvesting

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

THE DAC TOWER | CARBON RESPONSE SCENARIO The project goes beyond technical solutions, offering educational and relaxation platforms for visitors. It focuses on community engagement, safety measures, and maintaining ecological balance, including provisions for animal migration and improving soil conditions.

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

08.

THE WOUND OF THE CITY Project Location: Project Type: Duration:

Chongqing, China Academic Work 12 weeks, Summer 2021

In remembrance of the lives lost during the strategic bombing of Chongqing in WWII, I designed a conceptual memorial hall by a lake, situated in the same park as the victims’ cemetery.

This structure symbolizes the city’s deep wounds from this tragic period. The memorial’s design incorporates a slender, triangular entrance, evoking the sense of a profound wound to reflect the city’s long-endured suffering. The roof, peppered with circular openings reminiscent of bullet holes, serves a dual purpose: it represents the scars of war while allowing sunlight to filter through, symbolizing peace and hope amidst darkness. This architectural interplay of light and shadow transforms the space into a poignant reminder of resilience and remembrance. The memorial transcends its physical form, becoming a space of reflection and homage to both the sorrow of loss and the enduring spirit of hope, capturing the essence of resilience in the face of adversity and the unyielding quest for peace.

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

The site is at the lake in Shaping Park, in Chongqing, China, covering 25, 000 square meters

Residential and office buildings, both old and modern, locate in or scatter around the park

Trees, mainly pine trees and cypress, have been planted surrounding the lake

Among the thick woods lies a cementary for soldiers who died from strategic bombing, built during WWI

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

09.

“IN-BETWEEN PUBLIC” RECREATION PARK Project Location: Project Type: Duration: Instructor:

Staten Island, NY Academic Work 16 weeks, Spring 2022 Suzanne Lettieri

This architectural project, centered around the revitalization of the George Cromwell Center in Tompkinsville, focuses on transforming an old recreation center into a dynamic, multifunctional space. The design is inspired by the concept of a wound, symbolizing the city’s historical struggles, and integrates the existing Lyons Pool structures with innovative modifications. The centerpiece is the recreation of indoor and outdoor pools, featuring irregular shapes and blurred boundaries, echoing the artistic influence of Bodys Kingelez’s vibrant use of color. The new design employs a unique roof structure with waffle patterns, creating shaded areas and open views, while connecting the building volumes with the surrounding landscape. The project includes a variety of recreational facilities, such as playgrounds, sports courts, and a boat launch. The roof’s interaction with the building creates diverse experiences, including natural light indoors and open views of the city and ocean. The design emphasizes seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces, using color and materials to create an atmosphere of vitality and connection with nature.

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

In Tompkinsville, starting f rom 1930s, George Cromwell Center, this multi-use recreation center, used to be the home for people in the neighborhood. But f requent maintenance and natural disasters made it eventually disappear: flood used to invade the sandy edges very often. And in my following research, my partner and I visualize the human and transportation circulations. I found that the human activities at the seashore area now is much fewer than those happening in the more inland neighborhood. My project then focuses on revitalizing the neighborhood by a new recreation center.

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

RENOVATING

EXTRUDING

COLORING

EXTENDING

COVERING

STRUCTURING

OPENING

LEAKING

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Practice Projects | Academic Projects

10.

SOLITUDE + Project Location: Chongqing, China Project Type: Archasm Competition Duration: 8 weeks, Summer 2020 Teammates: Lizhemei Wang, Yidong He We aspire to create an idyllic sanctuary that serves as a tranquil retreat and a lively social enclave for a group of four intimate friends. Positioned gracefully along the tranquil shores of a lake, cradled by mountainous terrain and yet in proximity to the city’s pulse, the design harmoniously fuses the tranquil allure of nature with the vibrant essence of communal living.

Our vision extends beyond mere physical design; it is about cultivating an experience that resonates with the spirit of friendship and the desire for escape. The project is not just a building but a living, breathing space that evolves with the moods and moments of its inhabitants. It seeks to be a harmonious blend of retreat and social hub, accommodating moments of quiet reflection as well as joyous communal celebrations. In essence, this architectural venture is a testament to the seamless integration of nature, privacy, and social connectivity, embodying a holistic approach to living spaces that enrich the human experience.

“Solitude is fine but you need someone to tell that solitude is fine.”

-- Honoré de Balzac 26

Practice Projects | Academic Projects

This architectural project is a masterful composition of cubic forms, each purposefully designed to maximize panoramic lake views. These cubes are arranged in an innovative stack, providing private bedrooms on different levels and shared spaces for dining, relaxation, and leisure. Central to its design is a harmonious blend of solitude and social interaction. The arrangement includes terraces, lush gardens, and a rooftop pool, catering to both quiet reflection and lively gatherings. Architecturally, the building unfolds through elegant ramps, creating an engaging transition between levels. This playful yet sophisticated design enhances the exploration and discovery within the space, making each movement through the structure an experience in itself. The project, thus, is not just a building, but a dynamic environment that thoughtfully balances privacy with social connectivity, embodying a living space that adapts and responds to its inhabitants’ diverse needs and moods.

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GET IN TOUCH | HAOCHEN HE Ithaca, NY, 14850

607-319-9510

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hh527@cornell.edu

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