SELECTED WORKS | 2022 -2024
Spring 2024 | Ithaca, New York | Community Building
Winter 2022 | Parc-nature de I’lle de la Visitation | Paliative Care and Community Kitchen
Fall 2023 | Buffalo, New York | Community Building
Summer 2024 | Mobile Architecture
Fall 2022| Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China | Commercial Housing
Fall 2023 | Villeray, Saint-Michel, Montreal, QC, Canada | Structural Physical Model
Location: Ithaca Learning Farm, NY, U.S. ARCH 5114 Core Design Studio IV Cornell Unviersity Department of Architecture | Spring 2024
Instructors: Margaret Kirk and Felix Heisel
Group Work: Luyao He and Maosen Xu
Role in Group: Concept Design 50%, Subdivision Modeling 30%, Rendering 30%, Drawing Production 70%
In our architectural approach, we introduced what we termed ‘streets,’ which are more than mere pathways; they are integral to the learning and circulation experience within the building. These streets aim to replicate the exploratory walk on the site, where each turn revealed a new vista or point of interest, thereby enriching the journey. We meticulously choreographed a circulation path that connects all the unique spaces within the buildingsuch as the juicery, bottling facility, and laboratory-not just facilitating movement from one area to another but creating an engaging narrative through the spatial arrangement. Moreover, in embracing the industrial aspects of the site, we chose to integrate rather than segregate the various functional areas, weaving the industrial elements seamlessly into the promenade and enhancing the holistic experience of the space.
The Learning Farm in Ithaca focuses on multiple life skills including in particular critical thinking. The welcome center is planned to create a space to receive visitors as well as teach hospitality skills and the cultivation of a spirit of welcome to family program participants. A small-scale juice production facility is planned to accommodate juice making as well as business development workshops for program participants and small K-12 student groups in learning about how organic retail juice is made and put on the market.
Both my partner and I were profoundly influenced by our individual experiences of wandering through the terrain. Captivated by this meandering through the natural environment, it became the cornerstone of our design philosophy. We were inspired to encapsulate the essence of this experience within our project, leading us to conceive a promenade—a series of volumes that gracefully trace the natural topographic contours of the landscape.
The main focus of the program is the bottling facility, which serves as the connection of our building and also the retail line from the farm to the market. We extract the central volume for the bottlinig then divide the rest into three slices, and finally connect them with circulation, the “promonade”, into one entity.
Steel Structure
Structural System
Supplementary Structure (Corridor)
Interior Partitions + Glazing
Exterior Walls
Ventilation System + Drop Ceiling
Foundation
Location: Villeray, Saint-Michel, Montreal, QC, Canada
ARCH 406 Design and Construction 4 McGill University | Winter 2022 Instructor: Boris Morin-Defoy Individual Work: Luyao He
“Living a normal life, on a human scale, with support from professional staff, as needed.”
The project is located on the east western side of parc-nature de l’Ile de la Visitation, and close to the local old age residences. By adding the communal kitchen program, the project aims to facilitate residents with a gentle transition back to normal life when they are capable of and willing to. On the other hand, the communal program with the support of the senior daycare center provides a platform for other seniors to learn about long-term residential care, ease their fear of aging away from home, and help to build a transition to residential care in case they need it in the future.
The communal kitchen might not work ideally due to residents’ health conditions, but it keeps their rights and opportunities to live normal and autonomous when they still can. As the project aims, forming a communal area that connects the outside to the LTRC works to mitigate the usual perception of nursing care and death.
“Living a normal life, on a human scale, with support from professional staff, as needed.”
On the basis of creating a normal life for residents, the long-term residential care program cooperates with a senior daycare center, a community center, and a communal kitchen to provide opportunities for community involvement and social participation. The project is designed for three types of people: local residents, semi-autonomous seniors, and people with neurocognitive disorders.
Section_Communal Space
Section_Household
Location: Jefferson Ave., Buffalo, NY, U.S. ARCH 5113 Core Design Studio III Cornell Unviersity Department of Architecture | Fall 2023
Instructors: Anna Dietzsch and Scott Ruff
Group Work: Luyao He and Frank LaPuma
Role in Group: Concept Design 50%, Subdivision Modeling 50%, Rendering 30%, Drawing Production 70%
According to the research and analysis, we found the main issue of the east side of Buffalo is food insecurity. This area is also recognized as food apartheid, which is a result of racially discriminatory, political, and economic factors that produced food deprivation. This leads to a lack of access to fresh food, grocery stores, and supermarkets. Besides the main issue, we also found that there is a lack of collectivity around the community including underused pedestrian infrastructure, extensive parking lots, and empty stores and streets. Another main focus of the project is the memorial for the 5.14 event, which accompanies the process of healing from hate. As a result of racist policies affecting the East side of Buffalo today, the African American community sturggles with the chanllenge of food insecurity and apartheid. The community needs access to fresh food and resources which allow them to take ownership over the entire food production process. Providing programs to do so also seeks to improve collectivity within community and help heal from the 5.14 event at Top’s Supermarket.
Community Center
Existing Building Market
We are proposing 4 main programs: the greenhouse in the community center, farmer’s market, community kitchen which is transformed from the existing building, and public plaza, these preliminary programs follow the food production process and offer community engagement opportunities to address the food insecurity and the lack of collectivity.
Apart from the preliminary programs, another focus of the project is the memorial design. Within the building, we’re designing a memorial exhibition center, and we’re also proposing an outdoor lively design of designating trees planted on the plaza for each of the victims, and the radius of the tree well corresponds to their ages. So we want to bring both collectivity and commemoration to the plaza where the community could gather together.
MICROHOME Architecture Competition 2024 | Summer 2024
Group Work: Luyao He, Maosen Xu, and Nuoya Fang
Role in Group: Concept Design 33%, Subdivision Modeling 33%, Rendering 33%, Drawing Production 33%
Our project addresses housing equity by providing affordable options through collaboration with local prefabricators. The 25m2 CUBE encourages minimalism and reduces overconsumption, siginificantly lowering the construction industry’s carbon footprint. Using disassemblable materials and construction methods, the CUBE is designed for longevity and adaptability. It can be assembled, disassembled, and relocated according to lifestyle changes, ensuring it meets evolving needs.
Designed with sustainability at its core, myCUBE uses a kit of parts and energy-efficient systems to significantly reduces its carbon footprint. Local prefabrication minimizes transportation emissions and supports local economies, promoting environmental and social sustainability. As a prototype for low-carbon, affordable housing, myCUBE merges cost-effectiveness with functionality, providing an eco-conscious living experience that addresses housing equity gloablly while minimizing environmental impact.
The modular and adaptable design ensures it can be manufactured and assembled globally, promoting sustainability and accessibility.
Metal Decking
6’’ x 6’’ Steel Floor Joist
Supplemental Pre-installed Electric Radiant Heating (optional for different climates)
Foundation
Prefabricated Furniture/ Stair/Storage Casework
Mini Split A/C Unit
15 m2 Solar Panels Generating up to 3500kWh
Kingspan QuadCore KS1000RW LEC Roof Panel
Metal Decking
6’’ x 8’’ Purlin
Cavity Insulation
Prefabricated Light Gauge Steel
Structural Wall with Kingspan Kooltherm K15 Rainscreen Board
Metal Exterior Panel with Insulation
Kingspan QuadCore AWP LEC Wall Panel
Structural System
A temperature cascade involves spaces with progressively varied temperatures, creating thermal nesting within architectural designs. This setup optimizes thermal comfort and energy efficiency compared to a single uniform-temperature space using natural ventilation. Adaptive comfort and heat stress theories guide the temperature gradients.
The most comfortable zone, Zone 1 (living area), receives supplementary heating or cooling as needed. Surrounding Zone 2, composed of furniture enasing the core, is an integrated layer of stairs, storage, and casework. This outer layer acts as a buffer against exterior conditions, enhancing insulation and maintaining the desired interior thermal environment.
Thermal Comfort
with Battery
Accessory Cubes
Interior Finish (softwood/hardwood/OSB/ particle board)
Prefabricated Light Gauge Steel Structural Wall with Kingspan® Kooltherm Rigid Insulation
OSB Sheathing
6’’ x 6’’ Stel Column
Kingspan QuadCore AWP LEC Wall Panel
Foundation to be Anchored
A-A
myCUBE is a versatile and expandable living solution, ideal even for multi-user scenarios with its modular design that accomodates a wide range of needs. The units can be easily added or removed, adapting to changing family dynamics, and their transportable nature allows for vacations in diverse locations. Fostering social connections through shared experiences and communal interactions, myCUBE is more than just a living space.
Location: Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China
Individual Work | Fall 2022: Luyao He
“You can be lonely anywhere, but there is a particular flavour to the loneliness that comes from living in a city, surrounded by millions of people.”’ Inspired by my own experience during my undergraduate study, I intend to design an apartment building that accomodates people who choose to live alone. The project is located in the Yuzhong District, Chongqing, my hometown. Its targeted residents are local college students, office workers, and local seniors. The intention of the project aims to provide high autonomy and privacy while enjoying social life.
The social structure of the building simulates a mini community, where people from different ages and professions could live together. It provides spaces for contact with people, for residents who are willing to socialize, but in a more comfortable way to ease their anxiety and assure privacy and sense of belonging of their personal lives.
Another focus of this project is the design of balcony gardens. There are three different apartment types and balcony garden compositions for the three groups, from connected balconies to individual balconies, and combininng them with the existing park on the site to create a green garden community.
Daping primary school
Yingli Imix Mall International Apartment
Daping Transit Stop
Daping Transit Stop
Qixinggang Park
Concept Sketch
Co-Living
Courtyards between apartments can provide platforms for social activities and communal planting among different age groups.
Shopping Center
Service Facilities
Residential Communities Schools Main Road
Railway Transit
Railway Stops
Railway Stop Bus Stop
Pedestrian Bridge Road Park
Terrace
The roof of an apartment becomes a terrace for the unit above.
The terrace create a cover for the activity space underneath.
Transition to Greenery
Terraces create a smooth transition from the building to the park in front of it.
Views Between City and Park
The catalog of apartment units provide choices with views towards either the park or the neighborhoods.
• Lower floors and easier access
• Cohabitation between generations could promote assistance and alleviate stress from isolation
• All-floor access
• More Outdoor spaces provide more opportunities for group activities
• Trending unit type among youngsters
• More Outdoor spaces provide Separated work/study and living areas
• The highest level of privacy
Balcony is a place for small social gathering where neighbors could stay together or with their invited guests; residents could take a rest and chat there.
When residents stay in their own apartments, they could enjoy private leisure time in a very personal space.
At the public area, residents could get together for social activities; the interior provides lounges, gym, and cafeterias while the public terrace at the outside offers greenery view.
Activity Room Reading Room
Study Room
Activity Room
Video Room
Rehabilitation Room Video Room
Reading Room
Study Room
Location: Villeray, Saint-Michel, Montreal, QC, Canada ARCH 5613 Structural Systems
Cornell Unviersity Department of Architecture | Fall 2023
Instructor: Mark Cruvellier
Group Work: Luyao He, Lei Wang, and Maosen Xu
Role in Group: Assignment Proposal 33%, Subdivision Modeling 33%, Model Making 33%
Our primary focus lies in exploring how innovative design can extend the boundaries of the material’s applications. Erecting wide spans using such a material presents remarkable challenges due to its inherent properties. Unlike the rigidity of traditional steel trusses, constructing large spans with glulam introduces captivating avenues for research. It’s noteworthy that the complexity of this building surpasses a mere glulam composition. This intricate system, encompassing a cantilever roof, a central roof, and supportive shoulders, amalgamates steel structures for foundational support and reinforced glulam beams for the main roofing. Hence, this structure stands as an exemplary subject for delving into the material properties of this progressively favored construction medium, as well as the intricate construction nuances arising from the interaction between wood and steel.
First, we have identified three primary materials used in the structure: Glue-laminated wood, 3D printing materials, and rockite cast.
The building comprises two distinct programmatic components: a soccer field and a foyer occupied by auxiliary services. Each of these components occupies its own volumetric space. In our model, we will focus on reproducing the primary volume designed to house three small indoor soccer fields (which collectively form a full field). This emphasis aligns with our specific interest in the large-span CLT structure. The structure consists of three main components, each constructed using the materials: glulam wood and plywood for the roof, 3D printing for the supports, and rockite cast for the foundation.
Secondary Frame Member (Glulam)
Main Frame Beam Member (Glulam)
Main Frame Column Member (3D-Print/Wire)
