Portfolio
Master of Architecture | University of Melbourne
YANJIE LI
YANJIE (LIA) LI
Architectural Graduate
ABOUT
My passion lies in architecture and buildings which focusing on sensual experience and fosters linkage between people and their surrounding spaces. I value the designer’s role and the opportunity to potentially shape the living environment and human society from the micro to the macro scale. I believe design should be rigorous and careful work, where ideas and concepts lay their foundation on a comprehensive range of research and analysis.
This portfolio will present a selective collection of the most recent academic works to best showcase the developed design and drawing skills throughout my education.
LANGUAGES
Chinese: Native Language
English: Proficient
CONTACTS
yanjiellia@gmail.com (61) 414300153
Bachelor of Design (Major: Architecture)
University of Melbourne
2021 - 2023
Master of Architecture
University of Melbourne
EXHIBITIONS
MSDx Summer (Digital Design)
Grade: H1
PARTICIPATED WORKSHOPS
2017 - 2020 2018 2022
Design Communications Workshop (UniMelb)
Grade: H2A
Focus on the graphic and free-hand drawing techniques, enhancing on the drawing communication skills.
ZEMCH Sustainable Design Workshop (UniMelb)
Grade: H2A
Intensive summer workshop introduces the concept of zero energy mass custom home and environmental design simulation and analysis tools.
HARD SKILLS
2D/3D Modeling
Rhinoceros 3D
Autodesk Revit
Autodesk AutoCAD
ArchiCAD
Visualization
Enscape
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe InDesign
Sketching
Model Making
Microsoft Office
SOFT SKILLS
Strategic Thinking
Willingness to Learn
SF | Project Gallery Space
Bridging
This project is located at the intersection of Gertrude Street and Smith Street, within the Fitzroy suburb.
When people mention Fitzroy, they usually would think of it as an inclusive suburb, different groups leave their marks in the landscape through distinct styles, and diversity is constantly celebrated here. Art galleries, vintage shops, queer culture, and graffiti can be seen everywhere. It is a community where different cultures and people are bridged.
When it comes to the art practices itself, what is bridging it with the audience?
Insights have been spotted from the book ‘Inside the white cube’, which discusses the philosophic thinking behind designing the art gallery as pure white space. The author believes that the gallery space as the white cube is essential to rub
Leader - Anna Nervegna
Software: Rhinoceros 3D, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Enscape
out the past to make the artwork untouched, and to protect it from the corrosion of time.
Art is an intimate and subjective matter from its creator, it freezes an instant of thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences from the artist, and leaves it to the future. The gallery itself, on the other hand, becomes the medium where the future viewers are connected with the past saving moments from the artist.
The proposed gallery draws inspiration from this relationship between art practice and architecture, focuses on the spatial experience of visitors, aims to bridge the past saving moment from artists to the current/future viewers, and also performs as the platform to link the art practices with its community.
Inner City Art Gallery | 2022
Studio
77 Smith St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
The existing tram track makes Gertrude Street busier than Smith Street. The main entrance would then be allocated to the northern side, with a side entrance from the east.
The lower traffic volume and fewer pedestrians make Little Smith Street suitable for loading and unloading.
For translating the idea of bridging into the architectural language, the elements of circulation play an essential role in creating the relation between every architectural element.
The form-making is developed by generating a basic language of circulation from the section view, setting the journal walking from the ground to the highest level.
In considering the structure and material, concrete trusses are used for the two double-height spaces to hold the cantilever. The facade consists of concrete and frosted u-channel glasses, which can provide soft and diffused sunlight coming into the gallery avoiding direct lighting, which also allows people to see the concrete truss from outside.
Adding Opening - Bridging between External & Internal
Push In
Create More Outdoor Spaces - Bridging with the Site
Create More Outdoor Spaces - Bridging with the Site
Bridging
Create More Outdoor Spaces - Bridging with the Site
The internal spatial experience is the key focus for ‘bridging’ as the form-making starts with considering the circulation. Double-height spaces are mainly used for the gallery spaces to give a visual connection. Horizontally, the arrangement of space follows the special hierarchy which straight leads to the gallery space from the lift.
The basement 1 and 2 levels accommodate the storage and archive, as well as one digital media gallery and the kids’ learning center.
Part of the temporary gallery on the Basement 1 level is double-height, which makes it vertically connected to the foyer. The natural light gently penetrates through the polycarbonate panels, acting as a visual attraction where people can easily take a glance into the lower space from the ground floor.
The cafe and gift shop are allocated on the eastern side with another side entrance can be accessed from Smith Street.
B2 | Digital Media Gallery
B1 | Temporary Gallery
B1 | Temporary Gallery
First Floor Plan
On the higher level, each floor mainly accommodates one project space galleries respectively
Coming into the first floor, there are different spatial experiences await. The east side leads to the main display space and access to an outdoor terrace. A double-height gallery once again is designed at the western corner to build vertical bridging with the upper level.
FF | Project Space Gallery
The area of the third floor is relatively smaller, the gallery space is in the middle with an outdoor terrace and a void by each side. Lighting comes from above and sides through panels, the space then becomes a stage for small-scale installations
SF | Project Space Gallery
TF | Project Space Gallery
Basin Farm Community Museum
Suburban Civic Centre | 2022
49 Basin-Olinda Rd, The Basin VIC 3154
The Basin Farm Community Museum seeks to establish the linkage between the past and present while bringing benefits to the community as a civic center.
The basin is a suburb 31 km away from Melbourne, with most of the residential buildings allocated to the south and west. The chosen site is within the eastern area of the basin, which has the advantage of great scenic views with the wide-open rural fields, an existing rehabilitation center is located here, named the Basin Farm, run by the Salvation Army.
If one looks back to the historical development of the site of the Salvation Army Basin Farm, there is a significant change in community life can be found, tracing from the initial operation in the 1890s to the current: the accommodation for young offenders shifted to the existing
rehabilitation center. In addition, most of the main building was demolished last year for real estate development purposes.
Nowadays, there is nowhere to find a place to preserve and display this history through interpretation.
The project found inspiration from the demolition of the east wing of the existing main building and over 100 years of history of the basin farm. A community museum is then proposed where the dialogues to be created between the community life and historical exhibitions. The spaces are designed to reflect on the collective memories and invite users to find the tracing mark of the existence of time.
Software: Rhinoceros 3D, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Enscape
Studio Leader - Dayne Trower & Simona Falvo
Dandenong Ranges
Boronia
Dandenong Creek
Dobsons
Existing Site Plan
If we take the time back to the 1920s, the Salvation Army farm was still the No.1 Boys’ home, the place accommodated young offenders. Framing activities, woodwork, and mental skills are taught to them. Then the year 1992 was the turning point, the activity focus of the farm shifted from farming to rehabilitation programs.
The current basin farm is mainly formed by the residential accommodations in the eastern area, and agricultural buildings spread over the rest of the area.
No.1 Boy’s Home Youth Training Center SkillShare Program
Bridge Program
Piggeries & Cow Shed O ce’s Quarters Boy’s Dormitory
(Existing Quadrangle Building) Boy’s Dormitory
Boy’s Dormitory
The Salvation Army Basin Farm (1920s)
History Development of The Salvation Army Basin Farm (1920s)
The Existing Basin Farm - Quadrangle Building (2021 Before the Demolition)
(Boy’s Dormitory)
Existing Quadrangle Building
Demolished Wing
History & Site Response
The exhibition spaces are divided into two types, history exhibition spaces are mainly on the existing west wing and are designed to surround the chapel. The other type is related to farming and agricultural activities, which can be used to display the wood and mental handcarts.
Instead of putting the displayed collections all in one single space, the planning idea is to design the exhibition spaces into a walking journey. The agriculture exhibition space is allocated along the central wing, and two historical exhibition spaces are on both wings.
The main entrance is allocated at the point where the existing and proposed buildings meet each other, The foyer faces a large staircase with visual access to the courtyard and leads the visitors to the reception and meeting spaces on the first floor.
LGF | Foyer & Agriculture Exhibition Space
First Floor Plan
Frontyard Elevation
Backyard Elevation
FF | Lounge
Section BB
The facade has employed bricks to keep consistency with the site.
Internally, for reflecting on the history of the woodwork and mental work, timber and weathering steel panels are chosen as the main interior finishes. The uneven texture and the color of wreathing steel panels further emphasize the sense of responding to time. The spaces then become part of the exhibition showing the tracing marks from the past.
The same consideration has also been applied to the design of roof structures. With the use of steel trusses and timber ceiling panels. To respond to the existing wing, the pitched roof is employed for the east wing, where a different character is given to the central wing with the north light roof to emphasize the sense of linking past and present again, also functionally, to maximize the receiving of natural light.
Main Entrance 2 Flowerbed 3 Lookout
Bunker 5 Existing Terrance 6 Agriculture Exhibition Space
Detail Floor Plan
Detail Section
GF | Colonnade & Courtyard
Software: Rhinoceros 3D, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Enscape
The Circuit
Cemetery and Crematorium | 2022
610 Bulmans Rd, Melton West VIC 3337
We fear death as we regard it as the end of the line, where beyond the field of time and knowledge, where we stepped into the absence, no direction.
In some cultures, the circuit embodies the journey from birth to death and eventually rebirth. There, death is no longer the end of a linear line. The cemetery will not be regarded as the field that contains people’s deepest terror of termination and oblivion, but as an indispensable piece of the puzzle for the urban fabric.
Sentiments are tried to be evoked, and the co-existence of living and dying is sensed, where death had not been pushed behind the scenes and hidden.
Studio Leader - Isabel Lasala
Harkness is a suburb located within the city of Melton, with at least 45 minutes of travel time from Melbourne city.
Looking closely, we can find this area is rich in public parks and recreational use spaces.
With Arnolds Creek as one of the most significant natural features, it accesses through the adjacent residential area, the site then the existing reserve, and continuously flows to the north.
Site Analysis Collage
Site Analysis Group Mate: Zixuan Wu
Existing Cemetery Study (Melbourne)
Fawkner Memorial Park
Site Footprint - 113 Hectare Melton West Memorial Park
Site Footprint - 128 Hectare
initial design idea which is to utilize the existing natural features, the reserve and creek, and use them as a design reference to create a welcoming gesture between the site itself and the surroundings.
Gidlin
By extending the Melton Gilgai Woodlands Reserve along its boundary into the field and dedicating the area to natural burial use, a wildlife corridor is built to attract native species.
The main entrance and driveway are allocated near Bulmans Road and placed at the edge of the site to avoid disturbing the activities of wild animals.
The shape of the circuit is proposed in the center: an oval around the creek buffer zone which not only acts as way-directing but also allows visitors to observe the surrounding reserves and creek.
Within this circuit, an offset overlook platform is above the ground, the crematorium is then proposed following the shape of this field.
Scattering and other burial fields are located on the opposite side of the creek.
A community park and memorial garden are proposed on the side adjacent to the existing residential area as a way to welcome the residents and build a connection with the community. In addition, it provides a place for visitors to recreate, exercise, and experience the landscape.
Flowing with the creek, various pathways are proposed to give surrounding residents easy access. Pathways will guide them into two directions: the closest one is to the community park, another one is leading to the overlook where further down into the cemetery.
Community Park
Overlook Platform
Memorial Garden
Burial
Burial C Natural Burial & Tree Memorial D Crematorium
(Left)
Cemetery | Community Park
Cemetery | Overlook Platform
Cemetery | Overlook Platform
Cemetery | Crematorium Roof
Beneath the overlook is the crematorium, it is designed to be part of the landscape rather than standing alone on the ground.
Therefore, the roof is the natural ground, the central courtyard is exposed, and functional spaces are hidden by the colonnade.
the roof is the natural ground. Then the central courtyard is exposed, and functional spaces are hidden by the colonnade.
The supporting columns are designed with organic forms to be more coherent with the natural surroundings.
supporting designed forms be more coherent with the natural surroundings.
People enter this building through a ramp and pass the reception, what’s in front of them is the central courtyard with a water feature with sitting - an open place for visitors to gather before or after the funeral.
The ceremonial hall is one of the most important spaces, there are three different sizes to accommodate varying needs, and each of them is designed with a private yard, to give the users the option to hold the funeral outdoors while allowing the penetrations of natural lights as well.
needs and each of them is designed
Public Space & Amenity
Ceremonial Hall & Cremation Viewing
Crematorium | Colonnade & Courtyard
Crematorium | Ceremonial Hall
Crematorium | Ceremonial Hall
Crematorium |Shared Dining Space
Yanjie Li
Architecture Portfolio