SHERRY LIN Portfolio
Road, Photography, Daocheng, 2019.10
Monument, Photography, Milan, 2017.07
Christmas, London, 2023.12
Morning of Leadenhall Market, London, 2023.12
St. Paul's Cathedral on a Rainy Day, London, 2023.12
Barbican Centre, London, 2023.12
01
Campaign design guiding people to live equally and harmoniously with nature
Academic Teamwork: with Steve Li Time: 2022.9---2022.12
Instructor: Fionn Byrne
In 18th century England, a time when industrial revolution started and brought human more power to change the environment, people generally believed that humans have the right to control nature. Thinking they are making nature neat and good, they changed nature in a way that not only meets their aesthetic needs, but expresses political thought and social status.
Are we superior to nature and have the right to control it?
After our hundreds of years exploration and practice of the humannature relationship since 18th century, George Monbiot, a contemporary British writer known for his environmental and political activism provides a believable answer. "Well, nature did pretty well for the three billion years before we turned up, and it could do pretty well again if we learned to interfere less."
Our plan is to bring this contemporary idea back to the 18th century, to guide people less control nature, to respect nature, and promote a more equal relationship between nature and human.
Garden and the Sleeping Wood
Built in 1725, the sleeping wood is designed by Charles Bridgeman and John Vanborough, who got inspiration from Charles Perrault’s Sleeping beauty and the Labyrinth at Versailles. The Labyrinth at Versailles incorporated clearings at the points of intersection between and among walks, showcasing a series of fountains, each of which was associated with one of the fables of Aesop. Sleeping wood imitated this feature and there is a sleeping parlor in the center of the sleeping wood. On the wall of the parlor, there is a sentence saying ‘Since all things are uncertain, indulge thyself.’ It seems like is opposite to the moral of sleeping beauty, which is women should not rush into marriage, that love is worth waiting for. But we think it is a question for the visitors. If one directly goes to the sleeping parlor and sees these words, he may be more susceptible to the sentence. But if he sees it after traveling all the wondering paths in the sleeping wood, will he still be affected?
Similar questions can also be asked to 18th century people on the human-nature relationship. Are we superior to nature and have the right to control it? “Since all things are uncertain, indulge thyself?” But they didn’t have a chance to answer this question through experiencing. The impacts are hard to figure out during a generation’s short life and a time human just start to have greater power to change surrounding environment.
Stowe Sleeping Wood Made by Steve Li"Gardens became highly articulated and deeply structured forms, emerging from chateaux as quasi-architectural features. They constituted a site for an aristocratic way of life that linked social standing to territorial control and the accumulation of property."
Chandra Mukerji
"One of our tendencies is to try to manage and control and see ourselves as stewards of the land, and to take an Old Testament view of dominion that we’re responsible for all the animals and plants. Well, nature did pretty well for the three billion years before we turned up, and it could do pretty well again if we learned to interfere less."
George Monbiot
Humans always build temples that can last for a long time. But we are just passers-by in this world, nature exists forever. We want to redefine a temple for nature:
(1) fulfill the need of nature
(2) use permanent materials for the space of nature, temporary materials for the space of humans
(3) absorb and convey ideas
(4) identifiable limited geometric form
We chose 4 wild animals which are deer, wren, fox, and boar as representatives for nature. All of them were frequently seen in the UK at that time except for boar, which was native to the country but was originally hunted to extinction at some point during the Middle Ages. They also appear frequently in British mythologies and are symbols of spirit or quality.
Designed together, made by Steve Li Designed together, made by Steve Li The Locations of Natural Temples in the Sleeping Wood Designed together, made by Steve Li Boar Temple Wren Temple Fox Temple Deer Temple
The deer temple is a long dining table made from the window frames and the woods. Shrubs grow through the tables so that deer can eat them at the table with humans. Humans use the part made from wood. Also, the tables are placed on a small mound, providing the deer with better views of predators, such as fox. The stairs leading to the dining tables are from the parlor, too. The decorations on the roof of the parlor to a feature of the new temples. Elevation of the terrain can also psychologically remind people that they are about to enter the nature temple.
The boar temple. Given that the number of boars were small at that time, we build a protective temple for them. They love to roll in the mud, so we leave half of the temple uncovered. The waste of the boar serves as fertilizer of the vegetations. There are two separate farming field. Both grow vegetables, one for the boar and one with fences for humans.
The wren temple. They are tiny and cute birds with beautiful voices. So, we let people play music together with them. In the eighteenth century, when people composing and playing music, they always gather around a table, and that’s the new function we apply to the gable. Another function of it is serving as a blocker, protecting birds from predators. The branches of the trees turn in to music stand. And the pillars with vines turn in to wren’s home. They can make nest on them. Also, wren only active under three meters, so the pillars have suitable height.
The fox temple. As the top predator among four animals, it seems like that they do not need protect. But their baby needs. Parent fox always leave their cubs in the nest and hunt alone, that’s the time when they may get hurt by eagles, boars etc. So, we use the remaining bricks of the temple to reinforce the nest of fox. We create a place for human to rest with soil and rock, the material that fox build their homes.
The Deer Temple
The Boar Temple
The Wren Temple
The Fox Temple
Relaxing and sustainable activity space design in intensive urban area
Academic Single Project Time: 2023.1---2023.4
Instructor: Sara Jacobs
Stress is a frequently-occur problem among urban city office workers. Sitting for a long time in places with limited natural elements and views makes it hard for them to mitigate stress. Worse, outdoor spaces near office buildings in downtown Vancouver often consist of limited and pruned vegetation, and lack of places to sit down, making workers can not fully relax outside, either.
Based on a literature review of studies about therapeutic functions of natural landscape, especially With People in Mind by Rachel Kaplan, Stephen Kaplan, and Robert L. Ryan (2005), this project explores methods for turning spaces near office buildings into relaxing parks or healing gardens. Spaces are connected to form a relaxing green network.
In downtown's northwest corner, characterized by the aggregation of office buildings, a conspicuous dearth of green rest stops is evident. This phenomena is detrimental to the development of site's biodiversity. Scarce green rest stops can only provide limited habitat, leading to a reduction in species richness, functional diversity, which further reduce the chances for people to relax through interacting with natural elements.
Surrounded by tall office buildings, Solace Park provides a tranquil retreat from the bustling urban environment. The high buildings effectively shield the park from the noise of the city streets, thereby further enhancing its serene atmosphere. Additionally, the site benefits from nice lighting conditions that support the growth of many plant species which can serve as rest spaces for butterflies and songbirds.
Transform the roof of underground parking into rest stops for butterflies and humans, and the roof gardens into rest stops for songbirds and humans. The butterfly roofs are more public, while the songbird roofs are more private. Pavilions with vines can be set up in the sunny areas of Laneways, forming greem corridors. In the future, garbage collection and unloading functions may be moved from laneways to main roads. Remove the asphalt in the laneway, let the birds bring seeds there and turn them into green rest corridors.
Connection
Expansion
Clouded leopards protection campaign design
Personal Time: 2020.8---2020.10
Single Project
Instructor: Yichun Liang
Clouded leopards are listed as‘Vulnerable’ on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN Red List of Threatened species. Illegal trade is among the fastest and most destructive threats to clouded leopard population when it stems from poaching for commercial purposes. Though being fully protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES, which prohibits all international commercial trade, clouded leopards are increasingly being poached and traded. In Myanmar, the clouded leopard is the most frequently traded species of big cat.
This project starts from the two main groups of people involved in clouded leopard illegal trade, and proposes a linked system between clouded leopard habitat and cities, hoping to introduce clouded leopard related tourisms which provide new sources of income for poachers and transform them to protectors, and establish a direct connection between clouded leopards and people through interactive art installation designed based on the pattern of clouded leopard skin.
The project curbs illegal trade from both supply and demand, and raises people’s awareness of clouded leopard protection.
The collection of wild felids for entertainment and companionship has been part of human culture.
Prehistoric Period
Pressure on felids has steadily icreased in Asia. Below is a European hunter poses with a trophy kill in southern Laos.
A magazine advertisement from the 1950s offers wildlife, including tigers and leopards, for sale.
Circa 1910 1950s
Clouded leopard has been listed as ‘Vulnerable’ .
About 2000 years ago Colonization and World War II 1980s and 1990s
Ancient Asian texts document the perceived medicinal and spiritual properties of big cats’ derivatives.
Site Analysis
Population increased dramatically, and the WWII facilitated the availability of sophisticated weapons, making hunt much easier.
Myanmar and Thailand signed the CITES. Clouded leopards are protected by national law.
The total effective population size is fewer than 10,000 mature individuals.
Clouded leopards are becoming more and more frequently traded. At present
In the Future```
How can we reduce the illegal trade of clouded leopards and live in harmony with them?
WWII Myanmar-Thailand Railway Monument
Plane generation of the interactive art installation Interactive Art Installation Detail Design
21_21 Design Sight Museum, Tokyo, Japan
Cheonggyecheon Plaza, Seoul, Korea
Renmin Park, Shanghai, China
Central Park, New York, America
4
Academic
Time: 2018.5---2018.7
Team Work: with Qianying Zeng
Instructor: Min Wang
" 和 " means harmony and peace; " 合 " means aggregation, cooperation, and integration. " 和 合 " means to unify different things into an interdependent one on the premise of acknowledging the differences of elements. I n t he p rocess o f c ombining t hem, a bsorb t he advantages of each element and mitigate their shortness to achieve the best combination, thereby promoting the emergence and development of new things.
Through research, we found that the site is close to both residential and industrial areas. However, there is a lack of organic connection between the three. The once glorious popular area has fallen into depression. How can this land be brought to life?
Where are the new possibilities? What are the needs of a university in this particular context? In addition to meeting its own needs, what impact can the university have on its surroundings? In this design, we not only tried to create a comfortable, beautiful, and rich institution of higher learning, but also explored how the layout and design of the school might produce greater social benefits.
The site is located in the north of Shapingba District, which is the main urban area of Chongqing, China. The site is located on the edge of the Shapingba District, about 16 kilometers from the city center.
Transportation
Road
The site is close to many railways, with the Jialing-Lijia Bridge on the north side, the G212 National Highway on the west side, and the expressway on the north side. Pedestrians can only enter site from its west and south sides.
History
In the late Ming Dynasty, a salt well was there, thus the it was named the wellhead 1929 Wellhead Township 1958 Wellhead Commune Development of industrial civilization
Surrounding villages and towns
Chongqing Technology and Business University
Chongqing Business College University
Around 2000, it became an industrial star town, science and technology park, and industrial park Demolition, decline, backwardness···
Be virtuous and knowledgeable, seek truth and innovate
University
Cangbai Road Community, situated in the historic Yuzhong District of Chongqing, enjoys proximity to renowned attractions such as Hongyadong, Guotai Art Center, and Qiansimen Bridge. Our analysis revealed that the site possesses distinctive features at the intersection of Chongqing's mountains and rivers. However, a conspicuous deficiency in public activity spaces and social service facilities has been identified, and the circulations of local residents and tourists are disordered.
In our urban renewal design, we aim to preserve the special architectural layout characteristic of Chongqing's mountainous terrain while introducing enhancements that foster a sense of home, happiness, and health. Our vision is to create a community that caters not only to the needs of the local residents but also enhances the overall experience for the numerous tourists who visit the area.
Central Group Controlled Detailed planning (2020-2035)
Academic Time: 2019.5---2019.7
Team Work: with Shangjun Qin
Instructor: Ke Zhao
Kaijiang County is located in the east of Dazhou City, Sichuan Province, south of Daba Mountain, with geographical coordinates of 107°42'108°05' east and 30°49'-31°15' north latitude. It borders Kai County in the east, Liangping in the south, Dazhou City in the west, and Xuanhan in the north.
Kaijiang County is 60 kilometers away from Dazhou City, 480 kilometers away from the provincial capital Chengdu, and 280 kilometers away from Chongqing.
In this project, we carried out detailed planning and design of the central area of the county.
The site is located in the middle of the central urban area of Kaijiang County. It is adjacent to Xiaoniu Mountain and Park, and Shili Changdi Waterfront Park on the south and north sides respectively. It has a good ecological environment and beautiful scenery. The east and west sides close to the Old Town Group and the Huangjiaba·xiniubei Group. The site has a great potential in unifying and showing the story of the county.
The central area of Kaijiang County is divided into 6 groups and 3 large areas. Among them, the central group where the site is located forms an area of its own and is located in the middle of the whole area. It serves to connect the Xin'ning area (old) and Pu'an area (new) and strengthen the connection of the overall area. It is the political, economic and cultural center of the county.
The overall structure of the central county Surroundings
Within the site, there are county gymnasium, county theater, county library, youth center, Kaijiang middle school and primary school, county hall and county business center, and these public buildings are arranged on both sides of the central green belt. It has various functions and has a great attraction and gathering effect on people.
The north side of the site is adjacent to the Waterfront Park, and the south side is adjacent to Niushansi Park, and the two parks are connected by a green belt on the site. The site is surrounded by four main roads, two horizontal and two vertical, with convenient transportation. The east and west sides are adjacent to the Xin'ning Residential Group and Pu'an Residential Group respectively, providing daily leisure activities for surrounding residents.
In the overall plan, the functions of this area are mainly divided into four aspects: the administrative center of Kaijiang County, the county comprehensive leisure area, the county business service area and the central residential area. The main functions of the comprehensive leisure area are: sports center, cultural center, entertainment center and central green belt.
Co-design workshop with site residents to invigorate a vulnerable community
Academic Time: 2018.7---2018.11
Team Work
(Complete data collection and personal report independently; complete 80% of design tasks ; interview and record residents' ideas)
Instructor: Laurel Johnson
In 2018, I went to the University of Queensland in Australia for an exchange semester, during which I took an urban design course and participated a co-design workshop in a vulnerable community named Ellen Grove.
Four groups of people are involved: local residents, urban planner in Brisbane, UP teacher and UP students. Each group contributed differently to the design, and we obtained a series of outcomes that not only meet the main needs of the residents, but are also innovative and have feasibility.
Brisbane City Council wants to implement many of our ideas that resulted from this workshop.
Find
Exhibition and activities design connecting artists and the crowd
Photographer
Social media operations
Support exhibition set up Time: 2023.6---Now
In the realm of exhibitions, the customary practice involves a label accompanying each artwork, serving as the sole conduit of information for visitors.
However, we yearn to transcend this conventional approach. Our vision is to strip away these labels, allowing the true essence of each creation to be conveyed through the voices of the artists themselves. Through engaging exhibitions and activities, we empower artists to personally introduce their ideas, establishing a direct and intimate connection with the audience.
Welcome to a space where art speaks, not through labels, but through the passionate narratives of the creators. Exhibitions
Talk with artists from Vancouver, Canada, and London, England through our innovative exhibition, "Dual Cities."
By real-time online connections, we invited artists who are far away from each other to unveil their compelling stories of migration and memory.
Immerse yourself in the narratives woven into their works, as we bring together two cities in a shared exploration of art and expression.
In this exhibition, we invite creators to contribute their works, weaving a tapestry of emotions, experiences, and fleeting moments that transcend time.
The traditional boundaries separating artist and audience dissolve, giving rise to a shared reservoir of flowing memories.
Join in a unique and enriching journey with us as we present an innovative activity set in an artist's living room.
Join us for the pleasure of cinematic exploration or dive into compelling discussions on the latest trends in art.
This experience is free, with thoughtfully chosen discussion topics shared across our social media platforms to captivate participants. By taking part, you not only contribute to the vibrant atmosphere but also play a role in expanding our community of followers.
Workshop brochure design