2023 Portfolio - Jen An Nguyen

November, 2023

PORTFOLIO

Jen An Nguyen The University of Melbourne Bachelor of Design, Architecture

CONTENTS

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01. About me - Resume

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02. The Generational Project

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03. The Afterlife Home

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04. Thuan An House

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05. The Nest Library

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06. Other: Photography

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Online portfolio Mobile phone Email

www.jenannguyen.com +61 439 114 940 phucan.jennguyen@gmail.com

EDUCATION Bachelor of Design | The University of Melbourne | Graduated

2023

(Second Class Honours)

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE Apr 2023 - present

Architecture Work Experience | Freelance Projects Remote - Binh Dinh House (Work in progress) - The Afterlife Home (Completed) - Web design skills

Jan 2022 - Dec 2022

SONA Committee Member | Student Organised Network for Architecture The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

Mar 2022 - Mar 2023

Internet of Things in Built Environment: Case Competition | Second Place The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia - Pitch presentation at the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS) Internet of Things in Built Environment CPD event

Oct 2021 - Dec 2021

Architecture Work Experience | Freelance Projects Binh Duong, Vietnam - Thuan An House (Completed) - Gia Lai House (Conceptual - Completed)

Sep 2020 - Mar 2021

Social Media Administrator | Kim Hoa 1 Jewellery Binh Duong, Vietnam

SKILLS Languages

Vietnamese (bilingual), English (bilingual), Mandarin (HSK4/5)

Hard skills

Revit, Rhinoceros, Grasshopper, Enscape, D5 Render, Indesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, AutoCAD, Adobe Premiere, Procreate, Microsoft Suite, WIX, BIM360, Navisworks, Hand-sketching, Model making, Translation

Soft skills

Public Speaking, Organisation, Teamwork, Time Management, Attentive Listening

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THE GENERATIONAL PROJECT Academic Location: Brunswick West, VIC 3055 Type of Work: Residential, Multi-generational Living

Multigenerational living is not a common practice in the Australian society. However, a study by the UNSW has shown that there is currently a rise of multigenerational living in Australia.

The project is looking to encourage multigenerational living without forcing this lifestyle to traditional Australian mindset. Furthermore, it is aiming to provide more affordable housing for the community and strengthen the human connection within their neighbourhood.

In thinking of multigenerational living, the design acknowledges the ever-changing nature of a family and the community. In order to achieve such ambition of harmonising people from different age group and mindset, the design of the project focus on three types of living unit with the integration of flexible internal partitions to allow natural interaction, decent privacy, and spatial adaptation overtime. The selection of material such as pre-cast concrete wall as a primary structure or colorbond cladding allows the building to last from one generation to another. Furthermore, these materials are locally sourced which helps to achieve the goal of affordable housing.

Affordability is also integrated into resident’s living experience. Each building is designed with an active garden to allow home-grown produces. Solar panels are also used for heating water in everyday use. There is rainwater catchment and storage system in each building that can be used for toilet flushing, laundry, cleaning, and gardening. Each building also has a shared laundry space and a shared open space for entertainment and leisure purposes. This not only provides free entertainment for the residents, but also a chance for neighbours to connect and build a stronger community.

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Solid mass

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Carved out middle for daylight and create space for interaction

Carved out for more daylight access

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Carved out for shared community space

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8350 3075 6435

1150

8100

4485

MULTIGENERATION UNIT

8100

6500

SINGLE UNIT 06

10300

12000

CO-LIVING UNIT TYPE A

10310

900

12855

CO-LIVING UNIT TYPE B 07

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DESIGN LOGIC 09

BUILDING SECTIO 10

SOLAR PANEL

ONAL PERSPECTIVE 11

COMMUNITY GARDEN

COMMUNITY LEISURE SPACE 12

COMMUNITY INTERACTION

COMMUNITY LAUNDRY SPACE 13

THE AFTERLIFE HOME Freelance Work - Work Experience Location: Binh Duong, Vietnam Role: 3D Modelling - Iterations Rendering

I was debating whether to include this project to my portfolio. On one side, we don’t talk enough about death in our daily life and in architecture; in fact, it can be disturbing if this topic is not approached with sensitivity. On the other side, this project has opened my perspective to a completely different area of architecture.

As human, we are constantly looking out for comfort. Many architecture projects also focus on the idea of comfort and peace. Similarly, in death, family members also seek out for comfort when visiting their loved ones. They want to ensure their loved ones are now well-rested and happy. Which leads to the need of exploring different design options of an afterlife home.

Traditionally, Vietnamese gravestones were often designed above the height of 400mm, width of 800mm and length of 1800mm. The Afterlife Home breaks away from the traditional convention to create a more peaceful family cemetery site. The height of gravestones were lowered to 200mm, width of 600mm and length of 1200mm to reduce the heaviness connotation. Furthermore, flowers are incorporated to bring a sense of life to the area which family members also hope it could make every visit a bit easier.

Due to personal privacy, I will not include photograph of completed project outcome.

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The gravestone is designed at a tilted angle to allow readability and interation between visitors with the surrounding landscape

RENDER 16

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THUAN AN HOUSE Freelance Work - Work Experience Location: Binh Duong, Vietnam Project Type: Renovation - Residential - Mixed-use architecture Budget: 1 000 000 000 VND (approx. 60 000 AUD) Role: Conceptual 3D Modelling - Conceptual Plan and Section Drawings - Site visit Thuan An House was a typical two levels Vietnamese tube house with the approximated area of 5x20 metre square. The design requirement was to allow solar gain at the back and middle of the building mass. A backyard with garden was not possible due to its small site area.

Clients also looked into the opportunity of utilising the ground floor for retail purposes, a family-run store, since the site was located on a busy street with business opportunities. The rest of the house would be used for living.

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GROUND FL

LOOR PLAN

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FIRST FL

LOOR PLAN

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SECTION A-A

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FRONT ELEVATION

THUAN AN HOUSE PERSPECTIVE 25

THE NEST LIBRARY Academic Location: Enterprize Park, Melbourne, VIC 3000 Type of Work: Library, Public Architecture, Community Project

Over the last three centuries, Enterprize Park holds Melbourne’s historical evidences of immigration. However, in modern context, the park appears to be rather forgotten by the people of Melbourne. This area is rather empty and not celebrated or visited by the public.

The project aim is to design a library that invites the people of Melbourne and creates a sense of belonging to everyone who enter and use the space. At the same time, forcing people to slow down and observe their surrounding, their city, their history. In other words, not only this library offers a database of information and documentation, it also offers a space of mindfulness and relaxation for all visitors.

The design concept is ‘a nest’. This concept was drawn from the Dreamtime stories of the Kulin Nation where Melbourne, and the Enterprize Park is located on in the modern day. The creator of the land and his assistants (wirmums) were portrait under images of birds and possums who usually live in a nest or in a tree hollow. The shape of the nest and the cyclone guided the form of the library; at the same time, enhance the idea of a safety nest for everyone.

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DESIGN LOGIC 29

TOP FLOOR Seminar Room Cultural Workshop Observation Roof Access

SECOND FLOOR Main Entrance To The Building Public Exhibition General Information Help Desk

FIRST FLOOR Children Area Children Exhibition Group Study/Gathering Outdoor Grand Staircase

Structure: In-situ concrete curve wall

Structure: Lift Structure: Circular column

GROUND FLOOR Cafe Quiet Study Open Study Standing Table Computer Lab Outdoor Grand Staircase

Structure: Post tension slab

FACADE The facade treatment for both building would be glass curtain wall facade with external glass film.

OUTER FACADE The fabricated timber panels attach to aluminium frame, hug around the outer shell of this area to enhance the nest like shape. The shape of the timber panels was inspired by the upside down shape of the eagle standing up straight on the tree branch.

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Display frame Paint Joint Acrylic panel

Brick core CLOSE PANEL - no light through - artwork can be seen as a big picture

OPEN PANEL - force people to pay attention to the smaller artworks - inspired from the idea of eagles piling tree branches to make their nest

OPERABLE-PANELS WALL

Outside: Paint Inside: Installation Frame

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OTHER: PHOTOGRAPHY Freelance Work - Hobby Location: Various Outside of architecture studio and work experience, I also enjoy building my own online website and taking photographs of buildings, buildings’ details, nature and portrait of people.

For more photography work , please visit my online portfolio www.jenannguyen.com

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Let’s Work Together! www.jenannguyen.com 2023