Ruokun Zhang-UD&LA portfolio-full time

URBAN DESIGN & LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Selected Work 2015-2021

RUOKUN ZHANG

LANDSCAPE DESIGNER | URBAN DESIGNER - zrkun1993@gmail.com

EDUCATION

Master of Urban Design

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Master of Landscape Architecture

Beijing Forestry University

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Landscape Designer | Full-time

SITE WORKSHOP, LLC

Sep 2018 - Dec 2019

Ann Arbor, MI

Sep 2015 - Jul 2018

Beijing, China

Jan 2022 - Jan 2023

Seattle, WA

• Primarily worked on urban public realm projects ranging from urban commercial development to mix-used district master plan.

• Proactively managed Revit model to develop project design and to produce construction documentation.

• Successfully assisted on Early Design Guidance package and Alley Vacation package for a commercial development in a limited time.

• Efficiently developed conceptual and schematic design with outstanding graphic and modeling skills.

• Worked on planting design and irrigation design with LandFX in AutoCAD.

• Collaborated closely with architects and civil engineerings on design updates, client meeting presentations and project deliverables.

• Experienced on diverse design studies, project cost estimates, and specifications.

• Involved in hiring and internship program.

Landscape Designer | Full-time

WRT, LLC

Mar 2020 - Dec 2022

San Francisco, CA

• Effectively played an interdisciplinary role in the office, to promote not only landscape architecture projects but also urban design projects, from trails and open space master plan to community park design.

• Actively assisted multiple vitual workshops and built online survey to improve the community engagement.

• Involved in developing solutions to urban and ecological issues with strong graphic skills and abilities of site analysis and research, using Adobe suite and ArcGIS.

• Produced master plan booklets and developed marketing proposals.

• Prepared design options, construction details, and perspective renderings to achieve good conversations with the design team and clients.

Urban Designer Intern | Full-time HOK

Jun 2019 - Aug 2019

San Francisco, CA

• Focused on urban master plan projects and co-worked closely with multiple design groups, such as landscape architects, architects and engineers.

• Assisted on creating project schedule and preparing on public stakeholder meetings and community workshops.

• Creatively produced graphics and built 3D models to promote the research of street grids and block scales, building typologies.

INFO

824 NW 63rd St, Seattle 98107, United States

(734) 272-6364

LINKS

Portfolio: Click HERE

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ruokunzhang-94bb02170/

SKILLS

Site design & planning

Urban design

Community engagement

Mapping & Rendering

Site analysis & Research

Construction documentation

Planting & Irrigation Design

TOOLS

Photoshop

Illustrator

InDesign

AutoCAD

Rhino

Revit

SketchUp

Lumion

ArcGIS

English

Chinese Mandarin

LANGUAGE CERTIFICATION

The Green New Deal---Manhattan Sheft

01 BMR DENNY TRIANGLE

Type: Urban Commercial Development & Urban design

Client: BioMed Realty

Architect: Perkins&Wiill

Contribution: Concept Design, EDG and Alley Vacation Packages, 3D Modeling, Site Plans and Perspectives Rendering

Date: 2022.3-2023.2

Scale: 69,265 SF

INTRODUCTION

The proposed BMR Denny Triangle project is comprised of two Life Science buildings separated by connecting plazas, an event space and below grade parking and loading. The project pulls inspiration from the rich history of the Denny Regrade while providing an anchor point at the intersection between Denny Park and South Lake Union to the north and the downtown urban grid to the south. We aim to provide a welcoming oasis that supports rejuvenation and connections. Use this prime location adjacent to denny park to connects people, neighborhoods and create links with surrounding green spaces . Create an enduring place that supports pedestrian life and activity. Soften the edges along busy arterials to provide spaces for people and street life. Acknowledge the pivotal location with a thoughtful design.

Denny Re-grade Kit of Parts

Pedestrian and Bike Circulation

Seating Plinth + Boulder Seating

Wood Deck + Water Feature

“Spite Mound” Planter

Vehicle Circulation

Site Plan (AutoCAD and Adobe Illustrator)

02 ARCADIAN

Type: Urban Commercial Development

Client: SWB Bellevue III

Architect: NBBJ

Contribution: Concept Design, Revit Model Management, MUP and SD documentation, Site Plan Rendering

Date: 2022.3-2022.11

Scale: 73,523 SF

INTRODUCTION

Landscape Typologies

The proposed Arcadian project is comprised of one office tower with mid-block connection plazas, and below grade parking and loading. We aim to create a diverse landscape experience and comfortable outdoor space

Landscape Typologies

Site East - West Section (Revit and PS)

View at 107th Ave (Revit and Lumion)

Upland Forest & Clearing

Forest Edge Trail

Glaciated Lowland

MANHATTAN SHELF

The Green New Deal

Type: Urban Planning and Design

Credit: Student Teamwork

Role: Team member

Contribution: Analysis, Strategy, Designing, Rendering and Modeling

Date: 2019.9-2019.12

Scale: 345 ha

Instructor: El Hadi Jazairy

INTRODUCTION

Questioning the notion of abandoning the constructed city with an old done deal and build somewhere else, Manhattan Shelf proposes an imagination about how the city can grow to adopt the changes in the future and be more resilient and diverse from the perspective of a different comprehensive infrastructure

Manhattan Shelf proposes a new elevated public transportation system as the Green New Deal in response to the sea level rise in the future and chooses Lower Manhattan as the experimental site to test how the polluted, grid, private and static Manhattan can be transformed to green, heterogeneous and a little messy space with more shared urban environment Instead of being concrete and mono-functioned, this new flexible modular infrastructure is an urban shelf constructed by timber, not only supporting public transportation and logistics, but also providing space for animal habitat and community interaction.

GREEN+HETEROGENEOUS+COMMUNITY=MANHATTAN

Transportation

Sea Level in the Future

Areas Built on Landfill

Development level

POLLUTION ISSUES IN NYC

Started with mapping air, land and water pollution of NYC, Lower Manhattan is identified with the most severe P.M 2.5, sewage outfalls and landfill. As the most expensive and iconic area of New York, Manhattan Shelf started from the idea of proposing a new public transportation system that allows only clean energy tramway and use the infrastructure to address pollution issues at the same time.

In addition to the pollution, lower Manhattan are facing serious flooding issues. According to a recent research from Pennsylvania State University, if there is no efficient action to slow the climate change, he future risk to New York City is dominated by sea level rise. Then, according to Andra J. Gardner, postdoctoral fellow, Rutgers University, by 2100 the estimated 500-year flood height would be 17 feet, and by 2300 the 500-year flood height would be about 50 feet.

No matter for pollution or sea level rising, our team proposes to develop the city with the water and the pollution rather than abandon the constructed area in the future.

POLLUTION STRATEGY

The design strategies targeting on pollution consists of three parts that separately deals with air, water and land pollution.

Firstly, for air pollution restricting the transportation of Lower Manhattan to pedestrians and public transportation and implementing direct air capture with existing carbon sequestration technology transforms pollution into diamonds. For water pollution, changing the subway system as sewage after it’s grouwing possibility of being flooded. deal with landfill by inserting treatment facility on the cracked road surface after severe flooding.

With these strategies, we regard the pollution as a sustainable energy to support the development of the city in the future after flooding coming.

CONCEPTUAL SECTION

The section perspective shows the conceptual idea of multiple grounds of the city in the future--a tramway on top, pedesitrian way underneath, as well as floating gardens and farms.

As the flooding coming, people will build up their living space on the three-layered system. Underground will become the engine to produce energy transformed from pollution. At the same time, more and more nonhuman species will occupy the underwater city.

Creating a conceptual moment of catastrophe as a huge rock hitting a building during a future hurricane and address the idea of living with the catastrophe and unsure situations in the future of climate change.

Tram Station

Tram Routes

Pedestrain Public Space on the Rooftop Green Space

Neighborhoods

LOWER MANHATTAN MASTER PLAN

The plan shows the organization of the new infrastructure in the west of Broadway. The Grid of Manhattan will be redefined in two ways: With the fifty feet sea level rise, the rooftops that connect directly to the elevated transportation system will be the main public space for gathering and exchange, thus redefines the economic and community center of the area; New open water area will appear as either farming or memorial space.

Because the rooftops will become the new public hub, the tram system will connect the major rooftops from 5 to 8 floors with stations every 400 ft. Neighborhoods surrounding the new public hub will be gathered to emerge several cluster along the tram system. Meanwhile, the neighborhood will abandon the original street grids to develop their identical pedestrian fabric with the flexible Manhattan Shelf structure.

BUILD THE CITY ON A FLEXIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE

Traditional infrastructures are the most vulnerable in the era of climate change. For instance, the subway system is the first to be flooded in the sea level rise. The carbon emission of the infrasturcture is another key issue needs to be addressed not only because of the construction process, but also the urban sprawl that was triggered by the highway.

To achieve the idea of a flexible, habitable eco infrastructure, we imagin the Manhattan Shelf as a scaffolding structure built by timber. Trestle bridges offered our team a direction, which was built in the 1930s to achieve long crossings and for temporary use in coal mines, The spacing between bents is controlled by the span capability of the superstructure. The most common trestle configuration is a series of simply supported sawn lumber beams spanning 20 to 30 feet. From both structural and material ways, It enlightened us to think about building the future city on this flexible and habitable infrastructure.

Traditional Infrastructure as the Old Deal

Coal Trestle in Osego, New York, 1935

Timber + Scaffolding

STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS

Based on the example of trestle bridge, we propose two structural typologies as basic elements: 20-30 feet wide for tranways on top and 10 feet for only pedestrian.

CONTAINER TYPOLOGIES

To achieve the idea of the Shelf being multi-functioned and habitable, a small element of 5 feet by 5 feet is proposed for multiple uses, including tree pools, water collection and purification, bird nests, and pipelines. This very intimate scale encourages the participation of the neighborhood and allows the Shelf to grow by attaching to the main structure.

POLLUTION CONTROL ELEMENTS

This diagram explains how will the three elements to deal with air/water/land pollution work. Besides these, we propose also a monitor system that use drones and robot to roam around the lower Manhattan area to detect and report pollution and emergencies.

Rain Water Collection

Tram Way

Water Purification Cube Tree Planter Cube

Water Tube

Water Tank

Bird Nest

Vertical Planter

Pedestrain Way

Electricity Line

Flooded Pedestrain Way

Algea Planter

Abandoned Tube

MANUAL OF ASSEMBLAGE

This diagram shows the structural idea of small elements being able to attach and grow onto the larger structure. The shelf may have only one layer at the beginning of facing the challenges of sea level rise and extreme wether, but growing up to more layers as the sea level keep going up.

OVERALL VIEW OF MANHATTAN SHELF

This axonometric drawing shows a general view of the Manhattan Shelf and the changes it brings to the urban environment. Rooftops are reimagined as the community gathering space with mainly market for exchange on top and logistic facilities supported by drones as delivery service. The shelf connects to the floating element on the water as docks as well as sea farming, making the water surface another major area for activities.

VIEW ON THE PEDESTRIAN LEVEL

This drawing shows the scenario of standing on the pedestrian way looking at the shelf. With the shelf inhabited by multiple functions indicated in different color, the tram station connects the three layers and spiral stairs on the right connects the shelf to the rooftop.

Emergency Scenario

Emerging Neighborhood Relationship

Emerging New Vocation

Emerging New Parade Type

EMERGENCY = EMERGENCE

This axonometric drawing shows a general view of the Manhattan Shelf and the changes it brings to the urban environment. Rooftops are reimagined as the community gathering space with mainly market for exchange on top and logistic facilities supported by drones as delivery service. The shelf connects to the floating element on the water as docks as well as sea farming, making the water surface another major area for activities.

Phyical Model Photos

Living on the Sea Wall

Type: Urban Design

Credit: Individual Work

Date: 2019.1-2019.5

Scale: 172 Acre

Instructor: Roy Strickland

SEA-ISLAND INTRODUCTION

This is an academic project to explore the multi-functional sea wall on Governor Island, New York City. The island is 172 acres, with green space more than 70% of the site.

The project aims to build a sustainable and mix-used urban space on the sea wall facing the challenge of flooding. It will become a suitable place for people to live, to work, to study and to enjoy. This project will not only explore the potential development of the Governors island, but also effectively guarantee the development on the limited land without flooding problems. The sea wall complex, underground construction, green system, and waterfront make up this project. In addition, with multiple transportation systems, this island will no longer be isolated from New York City.

LIVING ON THE SEA-WALL

SITE ANALYSIS

As a historic military island, Governor island is facing two major challenges. One is the flooding crisis. Just like most islands in New York City, it is mainly built by landfill. After the sea level raising 15 ft, most of the island will be underwater. The other one is the isolation from other parts of New York City. Because of limited choices of transportation, the island served as a park that is open to the public seasonally. Both of the problems make the island as a forgotten land. However, in the consideration of the location and waterfront system of New York City, Governor Island could play a much more important role to build the life of New Yorkers.

PROJECT GOALS

The sea wall complex, underground construction, and waterfront system make up this project. In addition, with multiple transportation systems, this island will no longer be isolated from New York City.

PHASING PLAN

PHASE 1 : 1-3 YEARS

The sea-wall and park will be finished in the earlier years so that it could support the further constructions based on it. The campus will move to the island using the original buildings and several new constructions as education and accommodation, with the bus system.

PHASE 2 : 4-8 YEARS

After attracting more people with the park and campus, developers could build apartment with commercial street along the waterfront facing Brooklyn. Also, new ferry station will be update from the original one to support larger population demand with a tight schedule.

PHASE 3 : 9-12 YEARS

Luxury hotel will be finished in the later period to get consistent income for the island. At the same time, subway line will be expanded from the line One to connect the island and Manhattan. In addition, one more ferry station will be built to connect the Staten island.

SEA WALL SECTIONS

FLOODING IN THE FUTURE

SECTION A-A

Green Space

Green Space Seawall

Street Plaza

Green Space Seawall Street Street

SECTION B-B

VIEW ON THE SEA WALL

VIEW OF THE COMMERCIAL STREET

VIEW FROM THE HILLS

Bangla Town Spatial Revitalization Design

05

Type: Urban Design

Credit: Student Teamwork

Role: Team leader

Contribution: Concept Development, Analysis, Site Design, 3D Modeling, Green Infrastructure Planning, Rendering

Date: 2018.9-2018.12

Scale: 11.76km²

Instructor: McLain Clutter

V-CAN SEE INTRODUCTION

This is an academic project to explore the potential vacancy land in Banglatown, Detroit. The research site in Banglatown is 138 acres, with vacant land more than 90% of the site.

We aim to rebuild a vital, safe, and sustainable neighborhood based on what we learned from Queens, in New York City. After the research study in Queens, we find that visual connections emerging on the public space because of the boundary, surrounding buildings and balcony around the space, could promote the vitality. Especially for those located in mixed-using environment, public space could serve more functions. Based on this observation, our team designed a program loop with public space to connect the neighborhood, a green corridor to meet the demands of the future development, and several mixed-using streets to improve the diverse environment of Banglatown.

FROM VACANCY SEE VITAL SPACE

TYPOLOGIES FROM QUEENS

Balcony

Boundary

Surrounding Buildings

LEARNING FROM QUEENS

In our research about Queens, we were interested in public space, which we define as any outdoor space available to everyone. In our analysis , we focused on vital public spaces that support diverse uses and diverse constituencies, in the areas most dense in population. Based on the field trip to Queens, we collected and picked out the typologies in Queens to develop further design concept in Bangalatown, including balcony, boundary and building types surrounding public spaces. We observed that these typologies could enhance the visual connection to promote spacial vitality

Commcial with Residential

Apartment with Houses

Office with Residence

Retail with Restaurant

DESIGN CONCEPT

So based on the three typologies, we want to taking advantage of the cheap but potential empty land to build a vital and sustainable community in Banglatown. By re-reading the urban fabric without the existing street grid, we were able to discern a hidden order between the remaining building fabric and the empty horizontal surfaces between. In our project, the open space is the organizational driver.

Beginning with fabric analysis, we found empty spaces with strong visual connections. Then we introduced visual corridors and a pedestrian circulation system to connect the public spaces. Finally, introduced green infrastructure and new commercial programs.

Original Fabric Potential Vacancy Land Connection with Visual Corridor and Pedestrain Loop

Inserting and Upgrading

PROJECT STRUCTURE

STRUCTURE ANALYSIS

PLAN STRUCTURE

Original Fabric Land Bank

Potential Vacancy Land

Bangla Town Spatial Revitalization Design

Central Green Corridor as a Reservior

Street Linear Green Space

Neighborhood Rain Garden

BUILDING TYPOLOGY

Prototype from Queens

Changing Process

SPATIAL COMBINATION TYPOLOGY

TYPOLOGY APPLICATION

PUBLIC SPACE BOUNDARY TYPOLOGY

Low Fence

Without Boundary Boundary Combo

VIEW

VIEW OF GREEN CORRIDOR

Type: Urban Greenway Planning and design

Credit: Teamwork

Role: Team member

Contribution: Analysis, Strategy, designing, Rendering

Date: 2016.3-2016.6

Scale: 141ha

Instructor: Liu Zhicheng, Lin Qing

BREAK THE URBAN ICE INTRODUCTION

This is an academic project to construct a 9.4km long greenway, with a comfortable slow-traffic system, and to design a community center building (which is not presented in the following pages)

We aim to stimulate communication among people around the greenway and offer people with an emotional and ecological living environment. Therefore, open space design and plan is the key to break the ice. However, it is essential to solve complicated traffic problems in the area. We build several passing models to eliminate the traffic barrier between the western and eastern area around the greenway. Based on the no obstacle, we take the advantage of the greenway to fulfill people with many communicating and developing opportunities.

Tsinghua University

Beijing Forestry University

DISTRICT CONDITIONS

The 9.4km long greenway is located at western area next to my campus. Surrounded by numbers of settlements and universities, it will take on both ecological and recreational needs. The greenway also connects 3 commercial centers, which could allow the greenway to bring more potential vitality to regional area. Therefore, we aim to offer people living around the greenway with more opportunities to communicate with each other by designing open spaces.

However, complicated traffic problems hinder people, from the western and eastern area of the greenway, to take a stop to communicate. Both line13 suburban railway and Beijing-Zhangjiakou railway cause the problem. As a result, it is essential to offer people a comfortable and emotional space that how to solve the traffic problem.

Chinese Academy of Science

Union Center

Big Bell Temple Center

Commercial Area

Capital Institute of Physical Education

Beijing North Railway Station

Beijing Jiaotong University

Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Railway Line 13

AREA ANALYSIS

LAND USE

Residential

Educational

Cmmercial

Transportation

Municipal Utilities

Warehouse

Green Space

GREEN SPACE

Public Park

Productive

Attached Green

Green Buffer

Other Green

TRANSPORTATION

STRATEGY

PROJECT GOALS

Slow greenway, improving urban environment.

Cultural center, enhancing cultural continuity

Interactive platform, encouraging residents communicate.

Regional vitality center, stimulating surrounding to develop.

UNION Center

Ecological Fitness

Popular Science

DAZHONGSI Center

Urban Square

XIZHIMEN Center

Riverside Park

PLANNING STRUCTURE

Commercial centers will stimulate regional development and attract college hidden talents. Meanwhile, the 4 urban landscape spots will contribute to the urban ecological environment. At last, we part the greenway into 8 sections, according to different site characters and residential needs.

Natural Countryside

Universities Interactive

Commercial Center

Recreation and Sports

Innovative Industries

Commercial Complex

Cultural Experience

Riverside Landscape

1 Greenway 3 Commercial Centers 4 Urban Lanscape Spots 8 Partitions of Activity Planning Structure

Existing Public Park Green Buffer Existing Open Space Protential Space Planning Boundary

ZOOM-IN SITE MASTER PLAN

SITE PLAN STRUCTURE

Olympic Forest Park

QING RIVER Bajia Country Park

Old Summer Place

Tshinghua Univ.

Summer Palace

Haidian Park

Peking Univ.

Sounthern Greenway

Shucun Country Park

1 Slow Traffic Way 3 Major District 8 Landscape Nodes 3 Landscape Center Project Structure

SITE ANALYSIS

GREENWAY STANDARD SECTION

Greenway Master Plan In Beijing

1.Forest Bathing

15.Railway Cultural Museum

12.Bajia Nursery Garden

3.Sports Fields 17.Muti-sports Fields

14.Photography Base

7.Agricultural Garden 21.Union Complex

5.Wetland Park 19.Line13 Subway Entrance

9.Pharmacology Garden 23.Community Center

2.Fitness Trails

16.Line15 Subway Entrance

13.Children Gardening

4.Flower Fields 18.Coffee Library

8.Sylvan Square 22.Open Market

CHILDREN PARK

The children park is located at the southern area of the greenway, surrounded by settlements. The entire surrounding area is short of safe and interesting playing sites for children. We design a community center and different playing area for children of different ages.

PROGRAM PLANING

Nursing Station

Trampoline

Graffiti Wall

Baby Walker Area

Fountain

Rock Climbing

Rest Area for Parents

Fun Bridge

Gardening Experience

Sandpit

Tree House

Handmake Market

Grassy Slope

Musical Theater

Shoal Square

PROGRAM KEY PLAN

OTHER WORKS

Type: Professional Projects & Personal Works

Date: 2012-2020

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL PROJECTS

2019

MARE ISLAND CONCEPTUAL MASTER PLAN PHASE I&II

Date: 2019.6-2019.8

Location: Vallejo, CA

Contribution: Layout project booklet, produced design strategy diagrams, and researched on street grids scales.

SAN LORENZO CREEKWAY MASTER PLAN

Date: 2020.3-2020.9

Location: Hayward, CA

Contribution: Assisted on conceptual master plan, produced maps and site analysis in ArcGIS and rendered graphics by Adobe Suite, and Prepared the online workshops.

BOTHIN MARSH OPEN SPACE PRESERVE - EVOLVING SHORELINES

Date: 2020.7-2021.12

Location: Marin County, CA

Contribution: Produced concept renderings, researched on coarse beach to protect the marsh.

SAN RAFAEL 3RD STREETSCAPE MASTER PLAN

Date: 2020.8-2021.10

Location: San Rafael, CA

Contribution: Built the streetscape 3D models, produced renderings in Lumion and 100% DD drawing set in AutoCAD.

HARD TRAILS AND OPEN SPACE MASTER PLAN

Date: 2020.3-2021.10

Location: Hayward, CA

Contribution: Assisted on trails system master plan, produced master plan maps, layout the project document, and designed the signage guidelines.

SF BAY TRAIL - RISK ASSESSMENT & ADAPTATION PRIORITIZATION PLAN

Date: 2020.10-2021.4

Location: East Bay, CA

Contribution: Assisted Ecologists on adaptation methods, produced risk assessment maps, layout the project document, and created renderings.

MATEO STREET COMMUNITY PARK MASTER PLAN

Date: 2020.10-2021.12

Location: Ashland, CA

Contribution: Involved in conceptual design, produced site analysis diagrams and rendered perspectives, and prepared community meeting.

BROOKLYN STUDENT HOUSING

Date: 2022.1-2022.9

Location: Seattle, WA

Contribution: prepared drawing set through SD to CD phase in Revit, worked on planting design and irrigation design by LandFX, and produced renderings in Twinmotion.

VANCOUVER INNOVATION CENTER MIXUSED DISTRICT MASTER PLAN

Date: 2022.1-2022.5

Location: Vancouver, WA

Contribution: Coorperated with architects and urban designers, promoted placemaking and landscape experience, and prepared 100% Urban Design SD drawing set.

THOMAS STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENT

Date: 2022.6-2023.1

Location: Seattle, WA

Contribution: Built 3D model by SketchUp, produced renderings in Photoshop, and prepared 100% CD drawing set in AutoCAD.

2022

2023

Other Works

SELECTED AUTOCAD WORKS

Planting Plan (AutoCAD and LandFX)

Materials Plan (AutoCAD)

FOR MORGUE, SEE

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ART & ILLUSTRATION

2012-2015

2016-2019

2020-2023