Architectural Interventions. Design-build collaboration on the global scale

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The University of Cincinnati Press and Library Publishing Services, Cincinnati 45221 Copyright © 2021 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Requests for permission to reproduce material from this work should be sent to University of Cincinnati Press, Langsam Library, 2911 Woodside Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221 ucincinnatipress.uc.edu This book is part of the studio series created through the School Architecture and Interior Design (SAID) Office

ISBN (paperback) 978-1-947603-14-1 ISBN (e-book, PDF) 978-1-947603-15-8

Printed in the United States of America First Printing

Editor: Ming Tang, Yingdong Hu, Whitney Hamaker, Edward Mitchell

Student Essays: Zhuo Chen Student layout editor: Dongrui Zhu, Zixuan Wang, Xiaorui Liu

Authors Ming Tang Associate Professor, University of Cincinnati. Ming Tang, Registered Architect, RA, NCARB, LEED AP (BD+C), is a tenured Associate Professor at the School of Architecture and Interior Design, College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, University of Cincinnati.

He is the founding partner of TYA Design, which has won numerous design awards in China, Spain, Mexico, U.K. and United States. He holds Master of Architecture Degree from Tsinghua University, Master of Arts Degree in Digital Media and Technology from Michigan State University, and Master of Fine Arts degree in Interactive and Game Design from Savannah College of Art and Design. His multi-disciplinary research includes virtual reality & augmented reality, eye-tracking, computational design, digital fabrication, BIM, performance driven design, crowd simulation and way-finding, and human-computer interaction (HCI). His research has been published in various international conferences, journals, books, and exhibitions. He is the author of the book, Parametric Building Design with Autodesk Maya, published by Routledge in 2014, and urban paleontology, evolution of urban forms, published in 2008.

Yingdong Hu Associate Professor, Beijing Jiaotong University. Yingdong Hu, Ph.D., National Registered Architect, 1st Grade, associate professor of the college of SAAD, Beijing Jiaotong University, served as director of Practice and Innovation Center, and deputy director of the Department of architecture. He is also the senior member of the Architectural Society of China(ASC), board member of the Civil Engineer & Architectural Society of Beijing, board member of the Institute of Vernacular Architecture- ASC, board member of Academic Committee of Underground Space - ASC, expert of Rail Transit Integration Research Center of Urban Planning Society of Beijing, and board member of China Green Council of CUSU, Secretary General of Green Transportation Building Professional Group. He has researched in the collage of DAAP at UC from 2016 to 2017, as a visiting scholar sponsored by the China Scholarship Council.

Whitney Hamaker Assistant Professor – Educator, University of Cincinnati. Whitney Hamaker earned both his Master of Architecture (2008) and his Bachelor of Science of Architecture (2006) from the University of Cincinnati’s School of Architecture and Interior Design (SAID), in the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP). He has been teaching all levels of graduate and undergraduate studios for the past nine years in the SAID programs. He currently is an Assistant Professor - Educator and serves as the coordinator of the undergraduate second-year design studio curriculum. He has led multiple design-build studios and projects, including the Kamama Prairie House, which was created as a residence for the caretaker of a 92acre nature preserve. The project won an honorable mention in the 2016 Architects Newspaper – Best of Design Student Work Awards. In 2017, he was recognized as the DAAP Professor of the Year. Most recently, Whitney has taught two senior capstone building design research studios focused on the challenges of affordable housing in partnership with a local community development non-profit, NEST.

Edward Mitchell Edward Mitchell is the Director of Architecture and Interior Design at the University of Cincinnati. Prior to his appointment he was Associate Professor at the School of Architecture, Yale University, where he served as Director of the Post Professional program and coordinated the post-professional and graduate studios in architecture and urbanism. His award-winning practice has been recognized by the Architectural League of New York and the Boston Society of Architects. He has been a member of Vita Nuova, an environmental planning consortium, and the Urban Design Workshop at Yale. He has exhibited, published and lectured internationally. His two latest books “A Train of Cities” and “Common Wealth” are studies done at Yale on the regional potentials in former industrial centers in Boston and South Coast Massachusetts. He has been the Chair of the National ACSA annual meeting and has lectured and exhibited internationally including Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, The University of Illinois, the California College of the Arts, Syracuse University, Ohio State, Parson, Pratt, Kentucky, UCLA, Northeastern, Aalto University in Helsinki, the Gilbane Development group and the Salzburg Seminars in Austria.

Preface The design-build project you will read about in this book is the flowering of a long and fruitful partnership between the University of Cincinnati (UC) and Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU), an education and research collaboration between our two universities that spans more than 30 years and more than a third of the globe.

Classes from UC’s School of Architecture and Interior Design (SAID) in the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning and BJTU’s School of Architecture and Design (SAAD) worked together to develop and submit a design proposal to the UIA-CBC International University Construction Competition for a building in Guoyuan Village, Siyang County, China, that would be suitable for both rural community life and tourism to the village’s famous white pear orchards.

The UC/BJTU team was one of only 15 international university teams chosen to build their submitted design in August 2019. The series of tiny viewing cabins they created within the orchard placed third in the competition.

Shortly before this book went to press, I learned that the work also won a silver medal for Ecological, Healthy, and Sustainable Design in the 2020 Asian Design Awards. The theme of the 2020 awards was social design, or design that is mindful of community and committed to bettering society. As you leaf through the book, you will see how beautifully the project incorporates those principles.

In funding the publication of this book about the project, UC International, the global office of the University of Cincinnati, also hopes to showcase how the UC/BJTU partnership itself expresses such foundational principles.

Next Lives Here—the design for the University of Cincinnati’s future—is based upon three pillars of inclusion, innovation and real-world impact.

We believe that diversity is the cornerstone of creative excellence that enables UC as a Carnegie Tier-1 public research university to fulfill our fundamental educational and research missions: to prepare our students for a global future, engage our university in the communities we serve, and field research teams that can address complex world problems.

By seeking out inclusive partnerships worldwide with institutions like BJTU and sustaining them across the whole university, UC can seed innovative teaching initiatives, nurture a rich variety of educational opportunities for our students, and deeply root multicultural, multidisciplinary and multisector research collaborations to nourish vital outcomes.

In our close partnership with BJTU since the early 1980s, strong, interdisciplinary collaborations have engaged our College of Arts & Sciences; our Carl H. Lindner College of Business; our College of Engineering and Applied Sciences; the School of Planning in our College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning; and of course SAID. Most recently, in addition to the active collaborations of SAID and SAAD, UC and BJTU have signed an articulation agreement in mechanical engineering and developed a platform for research and interdisciplinary innovation in urban planning through a jointly funded Future Cities Co-Lab. We continue to develop collaborations in urban design, transportation, environmental engineering and sustainability, and we hope to expand to education.

UC International funds innovations in teaching, virtual initiatives to support joint research and faculty/student mobility to strengthen these collaborations. We look forward to the lifting of travel restrictions when student and scholar exchanges can resume and friendly visits between our leaders once more will reinforce our mutual investment in the partnership.

I hope the unique fieldwork experience of the UC and BJTU students and faculty sparks ideas for readers interested in social and sustainable design, as the essay writers in this volume intend. I hope it also inspires other educators, including those in our own universities, to develop further innovative experiences for students and further ways to use digital tools for global teamwork.

UC was the birthplace of university co-op education, which dates to the 1906 “Cincinnati Plan” that integrated professional experience into engineering programs. Now, experiential learning must incorporate multicultural and digital competencies of all kinds as we give our students the tools they need to create a new world.

Raj Mehta University of Cincinnati Vice Provost for International Affairs Interim Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Dean of the Graduate School

It is a great pleasure to share my thoughts after reading the book Architectural Interventions: design-build collaboration in a global scale co-authored by Prof. Yingdong Hu from Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU) and some professors from the University of Cincinnati (UC).

Beijing Jiaotong University and the University of Cincinnati have a long history of collaboration and great friendship. Both sides have maintained sound cooperation and exchanges since the signing of the first cooperation agreement in 1982. Nancy Zimpher, President of UC, visited BJTU and met with Zhenhui Tan and Bin Ning, the President and Vice President of BJTU in 2005.

Manhuai Han and Yan Gao, leaders of BJTU, visited UC in 2007. Raj Mehta, Vice Provost of UC, met with Jun Liu, the Vice President of BJTU in 2012 in Beijing. In 2015, Feng Chen, Vice President of BJTU signed cooperation agreement between two universities and faculty & student exchange agreement between business schools of both sides with Prof. Raj Mehta. And the joint training programs like undergraduate “2+2” program and graduate “1+1” program are to be conducted. In 2016, Prof. Raj Mehta was invited to attend the 120th anniversary of BJTU and Global University Presidents Summit Forum. In 2018, Prof. Kristi A. Nelson and Prof. Raj Mehta, Provost and Vice Provost of UC, visited BJTU and met with Bin Ning and Zhongliang Guan, the President and Vice President of BJTU. They planted a friendship tree on campus of BJTU to commemorate the thirty years of friendship and cooperation between the two Universities. In 2019, Jiaqiong Wang, President of BJTU, met with Prof. Neville Pinto, the President of UC in BJTU. As the witness of years of cooperation and exchanges between the two universities, I have observed outstanding achievements of cooperation in various forms between the two universities, especially in the fields of faculty and student exchange and industrial education in the disciplines of economy and management, transportation, architecture and design.

In recent 10 years, the college of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) at UC has been increasingly close with the School of Architecture and Design (SAAD) at BJTU. In 2011, DAAP Dean Prof. Jay Chatterjee was invited to give lectures on planning and construction of university campus in BJTU. In 2013, Prof. Xinhao Wang from DAAP visited BJTU and initiated mutual cooperation in the student exchange and visiting scholar program for urban planning. In 2014, two colleges sponsored the “future city” forum and workshop. In 2015, Prof. Shouguang Sun, Vice President of BJTU, announced the establishment of the “Future City co-lab”. By 2019, the colab workshop has been implemented six times, providing a valuable platform for teaching and research exchanges in planning, architecture, landscape design and environmental engineering.

UC faculty Xinhao Wang, Chris Auffrey, Ming Tang, Mingming Lu, and BJTU faculty Haishan Xia, Gaohong She, Qiang Shen, Wei Gao, Chun Zhang and Zhongzhong Zeng have been involved in those workshops, along with more than 200 students from both universities. In the visiting scholar program, BJTU faculty Gaohong She, Yinan Jiang, Xiangwei Zhao, Yingdong Hu, Xiaoying Meng and Yongquan Chen have researched in DAAP from 2013 to 2019.

As an achievement of BJTU and UC’s global partnership, the book highlighted an impressive design-build project conducted by the faculties and students of both sides. The BJTU-UC “Pear Orchard Cabins” project won the top-15 in the 2019 UIA-CBC International Colleges and Universities Competitive Construction Workshop among the entries submitted from 101 universities, 23 nations. The project was constructed by faculty and students in Jiangsu Province, China in 2019. This competition is the only one certified in China by the UIA as a global construction competition, providing a platform for international cooperation and practice through the lens of design, culture and art to arouse homesickness and go into the future. Supported by the UC International program and Office of International Affairs of BJTU, 7 faculties and students from the UC traveled to China and joined with 13 faculties and students from BJTU to complete the site construction in only 20 days in Jiangsu. The project integrated the vernacular culture and construction method. With six cabins installed in the pear orchard, the BJTU+UC project embedded its form with the natural landscape and served local farmers and tourists’ demands in slack and busy seasons. Gaohong She, Vice Dean of the SAAD, was present for on-site guidance and witness the construction and winning of the project by faculties and students from both sides.

The publishing of this book by UC Press is the first international publishing cooperation between SAAD and DAAP, marking a significant milestone to record over 30 years’s cooperation between two universities and strengthening the mutual cooperation. This book will undoubtedly promote the future cooperation between the two universities, especially for SAAD and DAAP. I look forward to the extraordinary achievements of DAAP and SAAD in the future!

Global cooperation in the field of design has become a consensus. To build a sustainable environment, a better planet, and a bright future, global joint efforts in exploration and cooperation are necessary. I hope that the case interpretation, teaching research and experience sharing in this book will be a valuable resource to encourage scholars, educators, and designers to start the dialogue on enhancing our living environment, promoting digital evolution, and investing in sustainable urban & rural development.

Prof. Xuedong Yan Vice President. Beijing Jiaotong University 2021. Beijing

Table of

Content

C h a pte r 01: D e s i g n B u il d i n A rc hi te c tu re Ed u c at i o n C h a pte r 0 2: L e a r ni n g Fro m T h e R u r a l C o n s t r u c t i o n C h a pte r 0 3: D e s i g n B u il d P ro c e s s C h a pte r 0 4: D e s i g n B u il d I n T h e A g e of C o m p u t at i o n C h a pte r 0 5: S tu d e nt P ro j e c t s D e s i g n+B u il d

01 Design Build in Architecture Education Edward Mitchell D i re c to r S c h o o l of A rc hi te c tu re a n d I nte r i o r D e s i g n U ni ve r s i t y of C i n c i nn at i

The programs within the School of Architecture and Interior Design (SAID) at the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning at the University of Cincinnati have a tradition of design build research. Students at SAID have constructed projects for the College working in traditional and digital platforms in order to experience, first hand, the intricate complexities of construction. While the discontinuities between drawing and the realization of a project in the field are increasingly reduced by the precision of fabrication and precise tooling, there are still complications based on tolerances, fluctuations in material dimensions, site constraints, and, as in traditional craft, budgets and skillsets. While digital platforms and techniques mean that we may feel that anything is possible, the constraints still exist. Most importantly, the questions of why we chose to build one way rather than another is even more pronounced when tools and resources appear to have universal access.

The second concern of the design-build studio at SAID has involved community engagement.

Starting in the first year of both the undergraduate and graduate programs, students routinely participate in group construction projects. Those endeavors not only empower students to use their collective skills to realize a project, but they also experience the potential and the limits of working in a team. Sharing skills and time enable more ambitious projects, but we also realize that a successful project is the result of multiple inputs. It requires the building of a consensus and clear communication towards a shared goal. When this is extrapolated out of the immediate studio context and worked on with a community outside of the College, the level of complexity only increases. In the final year of our undergraduate program, students work with faculty on a number of community-based projects, using their skills to better our communities and use design as a driver to public discourse and the re-imagination of our public institutions.

SAID has also expanded its partnership network in recent years. Of course, our one hundred year coop program is a major asset, not only to our students who benefit financially and intellectually from professional training, but in the information exchange between the academic and practical knowledge in the field of architecture and design. More recently, the School has tried to work more closely with our international partners. Our graduates can readily expect to work internationally, and anticipating that experience should be a part of their education and preparedness.

Of those partners, Beijing Jiaotong university (BJTU), in particular, has benefitted our programs, and we, in turn, hope that our assets have been part of productive collaboration. Members of our faculty and the BJTU faculty have made exchanges to further our research agendas and to share our experiences with one another. The work shown in this book is part of a more recent

16 Design Build in Architecture Education

attempt to work together on projects in China. Our undergraduates, working with UC faculty member Ming Tang, made design proposals for pavilions in rural China. Then with the added help of Whitney Hamaker, also a member of our faculty, they collaborated to develop working drawings for the final proposal. Professor Hamaker and a mix of undergraduate and graduate students then traveled to China to build six structures in a very brief time period as part of a cultural celebration in the Orchard Village, Shuyang County in China. The differences in design approach between the United States and China is not insignificant. Many ideas were worked through in drawings, and I am told, the UC students’ familiarity with building craft was critical in the realization of the projects. On the one hand, the documents need to be more precise in the legal process required to build in the United States; on the other hand, the hierarchy between architect and builder may be more defined in China, where the craft-based idea of design-build is relatively uncommon.

The exploration of these differences and the capacity for two institutions to work together across digital platforms is a promising start to what we hope will continue to be a productive and enlightening series of shared collaborations. Constructing six substantial structures in a relatively short time period is impressive, and the faculty and students from both universities should be strongly commended for their work and shared efforts to make this work so well. We hope that, in the future, we will find more opportunities to develop these kind of collaborations, to learn from one another, and to tackle even more complex problems as a shares research agenda in order to better our built environments together.

Design Build in Architecture Education 17

02 Learning from The Rural Construction Yingdong Hu B e iji n g J i a oto n g U ni ve r s i t y Tr a n s l ate d by M i n g Ta n g U ni ve r s i t y of C i n c i nn at i 1. B a c kg r o u n d 2 . W h a t D i d We L e a r n F r o m T h e V i l l a g e 2.1 D i a l o g u e w i t h t h e n a tu r a l e nv i ro nm e nt 2. 2 S e r ve t h e l o c a l c o m m u ni t y 3 . D e s i g n D e ve l o p m e n t 3 .1 L e a r n f ro m t h e p ro b l e m 3 . 2 L e a r n f ro m t h e p ro c e s s 3 . 3 L e a r n f ro m m a te r i a l s a n d c r af t s m a n shi p 4 . W h a t H a ve We L e f t To T h e V i l l a g e 4 .1 N ew d eve l o p m e nt a n d p u b l i c e n g a g e m e nt 4.2 Sustainable design 5 . W h a t C a n B e I m p r ove d 5 .1 L e s s o n s o n e nv i ro n m e nt a l i m p a c t 5 . 2 L e s s o n s o n c o n s t r u c t i o n m et h o d s a n d m a n a g e m e nt 5 . 3 L e s s o n s of p ro g r a m p l a nni n g 6. Reflection

F igure 1：Centennial pear orchard

20 Learning From The Rural Construction

1. Background The “Pear Orchard Cabins” project is located in Guoyuan Village, Jiangsu Province, China.

The village is famous for its “Siyang White Pears”. There are seven old pear trees, known as the “Seven Gentlemen of the Pear Garden,” which are more than 200 years old and still flourishing. The centennial pear orchard is described as having “a sea of flowers like clouds in spring, green shades of cover in summer, lush gardens in autumn, and residual snow in winter.” Tourists come to the village every April when the pear trees are in full bloom. To promote tourism, the villagers have built picking gardens, a farmhouse street, a sightseeing route connecting the orchards, a parking lot, a visitor center, and other service facilities. However, the overall development is still in its early phase and needs to generate more media exposure, investment, and more comprehensive planning. (Figure 1-3)

F igure 2-3：Flowers and fruits

22 Learning From The Rural Construction

In the summer of 2019, the “UIA-CBC International University Construction Competition” was organized by the International Union of Architects (UIA), Siyang County People’s Government, China Building Centre, Tianjin University, under the guidance of the Teaching Steering SubCommittee of Architecture, Ministry of education of People’s Republic of China.

Using the site of Siyang Villiage, the competition selected 15 teams from a large pool of proposals. The teams had to design and build a permanent structure of up to 100 square meters, suitable for rural life. The buildings were required to promote the social events of the village, and support various programs associated with the pear orchard. The project’s design and build lasted eight months, with the following schedule: ▷ January 17, 2019: Competition became open for submissions. ▷ March 15, 2019: First site visit. ▷ March 31, 2019: 101 architectural universities from 23 countries submit proposals (Figure 4-5) ▷ May 10, 2019: The competition selection committee chose 15 teams to advance towards construction. Among them was the joint team of Beijing Jiaotong University and the University of Cincinnati, their project entitled “Pear Orchard Cabins: A Millet in the Sea of Flowers.” ▷ June 21, 2019: The BJTU-UC team consulted a local construction team on the second site visit (Figure 6-8). ▷ June 30, 2019: The team determined a project schedule, refined construction details, and finalized their list of materials and tools. ▷ July 20-31, 2019: The site was leveled, and foundation constructed. ▷ August 1-17, 2019: The remainder of the on-site construction was completed. The joint team consisted of nine undergraduates from BJTU, six undergraduate and graduate students from UC, and three instructors from the institutions who assisted the students on site.

24 Learning From The Rural Construction

F igure 4: Participating countries (© CBC)

F igure 6: The second site survey (© CBC)

F igure 7-8: Consultation with the construction team on construction practices (© CBC)

F igure 5: The construction competition’s opening ceremony（© CBC）

26 Learning From The Rural Construction

The fifteen shortlisted projects were located throughout the Guoyuan Village (Figure 9), including three sites in the entrance area, two sites in the center area of orchards, and ten sites interspersed in residential buildings. The BJTU-UC site is located in a rectangular area about 90m by 140m, close to the service center of the entry area.

F igure 9: The 15 construction sites in Guoyuan Village. Site B is the BJTU-UC site.

Site A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O

Title of Work Ladder Theater

Participating Schools Shandong Jianzhu University & C hi ne s e C ul t ure University Pear Orchard Cabins Beijing Jiaotong University & University of Cincinnati Blossom Tongji University & Pusan National University ChangLiYuan China Academy of Art & National Technical University of Athens Pear Circle Tianjin University & Syracuse University LiShengJi Anhui Jianzhu University & Hwa Hsia University of Technology The Sky and The Tsinghua University & Univerza v Ljubljani Ground A cabin in the South China University of Technology & Institute for bamboo advanced architecture of Catalonia ShuYing·LiHe Hefei University of Technology & Shibaura Institute of Technology Liyuan Garbage Rec- Beijing Forestry University & Chiba University ycling Station Wedge in Motion Kunming University of Science And Technology & Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava Encounter-Pear XiAn University of Architecture and Technology & Flower Tea Room by Politecnico di Milano the Water Bank Wild pear Central South University & The University of Michigan Stool Theater Soochow University & City University of Macau FangMuWeiLin Southeast University & Polytechnic University of Turin

28 Learning From The Rural Construction

2. What Did We Learn From The Village?

2.1 Dialogue with the natural environment The design concept began by learning from nature and using inspiration from rural life. During the site visit, the team observed the villagers performing a number of agriculutral activities such as planting, spraying, pruning, and combing. The team’s observations focused on the different needs of fruit farmers and tourists that would coexist in the scenic spot. They also surveyed the site’s natural features, including tree species, ages, and the vegetables grown in the fields.

The land is not divided into square fields, but was split along the natural ridges in the landscape. Each farmer owns 2-3 rows of the neatly planted fruit trees. They are placed almost perfectly, as if on the grid points on a checkerboard. The distance between each latitudinal row is about 6.5 meters, and the distance between each longitudinal row is about 4.2-6 meters. This grid became the design inspiration for the Pear Orchard Cabins. To improve the yield and quality of fruit trees, fruit farmers often prune the crown of a tree to adjust its density, distribution direction, and leaf area. This technique maximizes the photosynthetic space of the crown. The height of the fruit tree is maintained at 3 to 4.5 meters for the convenience and safety of workers during pruning and picking. After observing these characteristics of the orchard, the inspiraion for the minimal design of “A Millet in the Sea of Flowers” became clear (Figure10-13). The team decided that the proposed design should blend in the context without altering the original site grid and trees. They also designed the new structure to exceed the height of the treetops to capture the landscape’s natural beauty. After many discussions with local farmers to produce several design iterations, the team concluded that independent “tiny buildings” scattered across a large area would create an ideal design for the context.

F igure 10-12: Tending to the trees F igure 13: The completed structure is higher than the treetops 30 Learning From The Rural Construction

2.2 Serve the local community We believe the architect’s creativity and imagination should serve the local community with a focus on the relationship between the environment and social activity. A well-designed project should simultaneously address the demands of the local county government, fruit farmers, and tourists. This task starts by understanding the villagers’ needs and goals. One critical goal is to promote the pear orchard’s unique characteristics as a tourist attraction. The seasonal activities that attract tourists include viewing flowers in spring, picking fruit in autumn, and observing the daily work local farmers. The BJTU-UC team implemented a time-sharing concept from the early sketch to the final construction that addressed the needs of tourists and fruit farmers in different seasons. The team was able to construct six structures with generous help from the local government, farmers, and competition organizers. While facing the challenges of limited funds, site conditions, and delays, the project still met the villagers’ expectations.

The locals enjoyed the architecture so much, they gave them the nickname of “climbing towers” (Figure 14).

32 Learning From The Rural Construction

F igure14: Four t ypes of cabins

3. Design Development 3.1 Learn from the problem Since this design-build competition did not involve a professional construction company for project management, the teams worked directly with local vendors. Each group acquired building materials, including timber, doors, windows, tiles, and even construction equipment.

(Figure 15-17). The team solved many unexpected technical problems by continuously revising the drawings to meet the unique conditions. For example, the rain shield (flashing) of building was custom made with tinplate in a local hardware store and then cut and bent by teachers and students on-site with a portable angle grinder. The team also made the U-shaped iron to fix the pear branches on the facade during the installation (Figure 18-20).

F igure 15-17: BJTU-UC team discussion and sketches

34 Learning From The Rural Construction

F igure 18-19: Hand-made iron flashing F igure 20: The installation of flashing

3.2 Learn from the process To achieve rapid construction, minimize damage to the trees, and adapt to the relatively soft soil throughout the orchard, the team did not use traditional brick or concrete foundations. Instead, we used four large underground screws for a post and pier foundation. The two meter long steel posts were drilled underground to support each structural steel column. The local welders then welded the circular bearing plates to support the steel columns (Figure 21-22).

This approach allowed the main building structure to be elevated from the ground. The ventilation underneath the ground floor prevented ground moisture from invading the first-story wooden floor. This proved beneficial when a typhoon struck in the middle of construction and caused high water to threaten the structure. However, the water quickly dissipated due to the design and allowed construction to proceed. To create a uniformed interior, the original plan called for calcium silicate boards as the base material. However, they would need to be protected from fire and moisture, and require a longer installation. Instead, wood was chosen to create a “breathable wall” where two layers of slats combined with a staggered joint structure reduced condensation and water penetration.

F igure 21：A group photo of students with the ground screw F igure 22：Construction steps of ground screws

36 Learning From The Rural Construction

F igure 23-24：Hand basin built with recycled blue bricks F igure 25：Flower-laid blue brick paving

3.3 Learn from materials and craftsmanship The village continues to use various traditional materials and craftsmanship, such as local masonry. With local masonry workers’ help, we reused 6,000 old blue bricks to promote traditional bricks and constructed the outdoor pond and all ground paving. These blue bricks were recycled from demolished old buildings. The local workers used a simple brick knife to split, wipe, knock, and complete masonry work. These traditional materials and craftmanship gave the recycled bricks a new life. (Figure 23-25)

38 Learning From The Rural Construction

© CBC

4. What Have We Left To The Village?

4.1 New development and public engagement The rural projects’ precept integrated structure with nature as a means to promote positive change while attracting new busines. As architectural critic Zhou Rong believes, “it would be harmful to discuss rural development without engaging with farms and agriculture. Therefore, rural development is first of all industrial development, followed by social development, and finally, environmental development ... otherwise, it is just a formal game using the countryside as a playground.” (Zhou Rong, 2015). It was necessary the development combined production and living activities `in order to adapt and respond to present and future conditions. The huts are used for farmers to rest and store items during the farming season; and for tourists to enjoy and use as a resort during the tourist season. This “time-sharing “ experience provided the city’s visitors with a connection with a rural experience.

4.2 Sustainable design The project incorporated various sustainable design strategies such as; local materials and construction technologies, minimal ornamentation, and low site intervention. To maintain a low energy consumption and reduce cost, we installed a solar water heater with a 200-liter stainless steel bucket for bathing and a modular toilet. (Figure 26-27)

42 Learning From The Rural Construction

F igure 26：Water heater and skylight overlooking the restroom module

F igure 27：Solar water heaters placed on the roof

5. What Can Be Improved?

5.1 Lessons on environmental impact Prior to construction, we were amazed by the natural landscape during the first site visit, including fruit trees, irrigation ditches, vegetable gardens with peppers, tomatoes. The native grass called “dog’s tail” grows, and the weeds bloom with small yellow and white flowers everywhere. Despite our effort to keep this lush landscape, the native vegetation was damaged due to construction work, material stacking, construction workers’ vehicles, and road paving.

The flowers and plants that once swayed in the wind under the sunset disappeared from our eyes after ten days of construction. (Figure 28-29) We hope that the vegetation will gradually return to its original state within 1-2 years. We designed a series of stone-paved trails to connect the huts scattered on the farm (Figure 30).

Water and electricity pipelines are laid under the paths to prevent the farmers from accidentally damaging the pipelines during irrigation and fertilization. We hope the weeds can grow freely and restore the wild landscape. We will continue to monitor the site for 2-3 years to collect opinions from fruit farmers, tourists, the government, the building maintenance level, and natural habitat recovery.

F igure 28-29：Dog’s tail grass grew every where in the original site 46 Learning From The Rural Construction

Design Build 49 Pear Orchard Cabins

F igure 30：Trail paved with natural stone slabs

50 Design Build Process Pear Orchard Cabins

Design Build 51 Pear Orchard Cabins

5.2 Lessons on construction methods and management Since we did not design the project as a full prefabricated modular system, there was intense assembly work on-site, especially on-site welding, which requires complex coordination of power supply, electric welding equipment, and welders’ schedules. These complexities add to the cost and time of construction and make it difficult to be used in rural sites. The build process heavily depended on the on-site construction personnel’s skill level, who often had to stop work and wait for cranes and electric welding equipment. If we had a chance to revise the load-bearing structural system and the building component size, we would have avoided these complex procedures and saved at least 1/3 of the construction time.

There are also two correct strategies worth highlighting. First, the three “residential” unit buildings are identical, which allowed the building skin to be designed as a modular wooden frame. The frames were cut and assembled on the ground and then quickly installed in the steel structure. Second, we provided stair construction drawings, which include the size of every step dimension. These drawings allowed the welders to weld those steel components on-site easily. Both tasks were carried out in the construction schedule simultaneously as the building structure and saved time. (Figure 31-32)

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F igure 31-32：Ground processing and installation of wooden frames

5.3 Lessons of program planning As a student competition, the project attracted great talent from academic fields. However, the project was implemented at a fast pace without comprehensive planning with the local community. The involvement of villagers and farmers could have been better organized in the early planning phase. The survey of the pubic opinion was not gathered and analyzed systematically. After the construction, the property was handed over to a tourism agency for continuous development and management. Whether the “time-sharing” strategies will be carried out is unknown.. (Figure 33)

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F igure 33：During the construction process, fruit farmers brought apples to teachers and students

6. Reflection As a place with great potential, does the Chinese countryside need redevelopment driven by a growing city’s needs, or is it possible to have a self-sustained bottom-up development？The former is using urban values, goals, and policies to change the rural landscape. If it is the latter, where do the rural development resources come from？How can the architects facilitate the dialogue of the village with the city？How can rural development avoid the mistakes of urban development and improve urban life and needs？These questions need architects and educators to investigate the stages of rural construction.

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03 Design Build Process

P ro j e c t L o c at i o n: O r c h a r d V i l l a g e , A i y u a n To w n , S h u y a n g C o u n t y, J i a n g s u P r ov i n c e , C h i n a

Pear Orchard Cabins Faculty (University of Cincinnati):

Faculty (Beijing Jiaotong University):

Whitney Hamaker, Ming Tang

Yingdong Hu, Yunan Zhang, Huazhan Guo, Yongquan Chen,

Students (University of Cincinnati):

Students (Beijing Jiaotong University):

Lauren Figley, Jordan Micham, Pat McQuillen,

Zhuo Chen, Peida Zhuang, Shurui, Li, Zhixuan Li, Yingjie

Vu Tran, Jeremy Swafford, Tess Ryan

Liu, Zijia Wang, Yuanjia Luo, Wenjun Lin, Yanqi Yi

Inspired by the beautiful rural landscape, the design-build team jointed by students and faculties from Bejing Jiaotong University (BJTU) and the University of Cincinnati (UC) worked together with local villagers in China in the summer of 2019. As a part of the UIA-CBC design-build competition, the UC +BJTU group explored the relationship between nature and architecture in the rural area of China. The team applied the concept of “micro intervention” and completed six small cottage structures in only 15 days. These units were combined to allow tourists to escape from the city and appreciate the charm of the rural landscape. Twostory high buildings were raised above the trees to provide the visitors with the beautiful view of pear garden.

As a practical application of a shared farmhouse in the village, the project met the different needs of tourists and farmers. On weekdays, the cabins are used as a temporary cottage for farmers for storing farm tools, working, and resting. In the blooming season of the pear orchard, the buildings can be converted to a place for tourists to enjoy the authentic rural experience.

Six cabins were completed using natural materials and local construction methods in a short period of 15 days. The design-build team applied wood frame and steel structure in the construction and used the recycled bricks to build the water collection system. The team also designed a screen system by weaving the branch of the pear trees into the building façade. Moreover, the team worked with the local traditional tin craftsman and customized the rainwater inlet. The project won the third prize in the international university construction competition of 2019 UIA-CBC. 68 Design Build Process Pear Orchard Cabins

Chatting in the Tea House af ter sunset

Design Reviews in Studio

Spring 2019 semester, University of Cincinnati

The Team

University of Cincinnati + Beijing Jiaotong University (© CBC)

Design Reviews in Studio

Beijing Jiaotong University

The Team

University of Cincinnati + Beijing Jiaotong University

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Aerial View: Site

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Recreational Unit

Recreational Unit

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Concept

Mode

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Site Characteristic Analysis

Generation Process

Blocks intervene in nature and have a greater impact on nature

The blocks are divided according to their functions and lightly intervene in nature in the form of units.Blocks are connected by nature.

Unit design has flexible layout,can be sup plied on demand,and can adjust landscape orientation freely.

In order to provide visitors the unique experience of sitting above the forest, the team designed the structures to be higher than the surrounding pear trees (roughly 3 meters or 9.8 fee). With the double-floor configuration (roughly 5.5 meters or 18 feet), visitors can immerse themselves with nature and enjoy the pear flower bloom.

The design proposal intends to be adaptive and reproducible through the blocks’ intervention within the pear tree matrix while maintaining as much natural landscape as possible. The curvy paths connect each unit and natural landscape to offer guests an immersive experience when they walk from one space to another.

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Elevation Renderings

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Decompose A xonometric

Seasonal Use

Usage Mode

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Insllation Instructions

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Bay Window Installation Recreational Unit

Learning Objectives The objective of this design-build project is to provide both students and faculties an opportunity to experiment and actualize their design concept. Commonly, design proposals that are produced within academic settings can seldom be built physically in 1:1 scale. Throughout the project’s design and construction phases, not only the students gained practical construction experience, but they also practiced their skills in both teamwork and craftsmanship. The project intended to challenge students’ critical thinking and problem solving capabilities within a design build context. It is one of designers’ and architects’ vital skills to understand how to troubleshoot persistent various conflicts and issues during the project’s construction phase. Within a limited time frame, students and faculties from two universities were able to overcome various challenges, and together, they designed and built a series of cabin structures with the expertise of local experienced craftsmen.

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Site Survey

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Discussion During Dinner

BC On Site Discussion

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F ield Discussion

F ield Discussion

Leveling Foundation Screw

Professors

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Foundation

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Steel Frame Installation

Steel Frame Installation

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Facade Installation

Facade Installation

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Installed Facade

Facade Panels Installation

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Facade Panels Installation

Landscape Pool Construction

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Landscape Pool

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Facade Screen

Facade Screen Installation

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04 Design Build In The Age of Computation M i n g Ta n g A s s o c i ate P rofe s s o r U ni ve r s i t y of C i n c i nn at i

1. D i g i t a l C o m p u t a t i o n a n d I t s I m p a c t o n D e s i g n - B u i l d 2. Representation and Prototyping 2.1 P hy s i c a l R e p re s e nt at i o n 2. 2 P hy s i c a l P rotot y p i n g 2. 2.1 D e s i g n - B u il d S h e l te r 2. 2. 2 D e s i g n - B u il d I nte r i o r 3 . A Po s s i b l e F u t u r e : B l e n d R e p r e s e n t a t i o n w i t h Prototyping

1. Digital Computation and Its Impact On Design-Build

Parametric modeling and digital fabrication technology have been extensively developed in the past ten years. Today, architects are using various algorithms, scripting, and simulation tools to generate complex forms that move beyond traditional modeling such as topological, geometric, transformative operations. Powerful digital fabrication tools allow designers to directly manipulate complex models without considering the constraints of the building process. Therefore, as a challenge of teaching design-build in the architecture courses, faculty are sometimes left with concepts that are often not able to be realized in the physical world.

Understanding the building construction in the physical world develops new situations where the form is no longer just represented but now processed through various manufacturing processes that differ from one another. This difference is the major contributor to difficulties found in educating students about the design-build process that utilizes information to build the physical form.

Parametric thinking and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) tools have yielded a significant renovation for designers to explore digital fabrication and material processing techniques. Laser cutting, CNC milling, and 3D printing have been introduced to students as tools that can assist in realizing complex virtual models at the University of Cincinnati since 2010.

Recognizing the importance of materiality and tangible-form provokes a question that is vital to the field of architectural education. How do faculty teach architecture and interior design students the difference of immaterial and material design while providing them a direct experience and hands-on knowledge of materials and construction?

148 Design Computation And Its Impact on Design -Build

To answer this question, dialogues have been developed among faculty at the University of Cincinnati and the Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU) in the UIA-CBC design-build project in China in 2019. Several strategies were introduced to both UC and BJTU students as a series of concepts investigating design pipelines and platforms that focus on the making of architecture through scaled models, simulated construction, and material experimentations. Digital representation (immaterial process) and fabrication (material process) are considered as hybrid activities where students engaged in a parametric design pipeline that digitally produces fabrication information by exploring the processes which focus on representing materiality.

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2. Representation and Prototyping 2.1 Physical Representation In the physical representation process, conceptual models were generated with parametric modeling software such as Grasshopper. “The 3D model is virtually created without the consideration of tectonic quality and material property. These models were realized in the physical realm by students using waffling, paneling, slicing, and contouring techniques to produce two-dimensional fabrication drawings for laser cutting, 3D print, or CNC production.” ( Tang. 2011) The result of the fabrication process is a scaled model that can be classified as a physical representation. The physical representation process of architectural imaging and representation tends to dominate our design process with only the end product in mind. We can consider this as an immaterial form where a virtual model carries all the design information from the conceptual design to the two-dimension shop drawings for fabrication. In many cases, digital fabrication has been used as a communication tool, a physical “representation” media as a scaled model, rather than a simulated construction process that is driven by various tectonic principles. Based on this distinction, many students’ fabrication projects belong to the category of physical representation rather than physical prototyping.

Regardless of the size, these artifacts should be described as scale models or immaterial forms, rather than tectonic prototypes of simulation. These designs are generated without a reference to the origins of craftsmanship or the real manufacturing process. As a result, points, lines, and surfaces in CAD/CAM programs are the immaterial representation of form, but do not relate to the material and process of making the form.

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2.2 Physical Prototyping Physical prototyping simulates the construction process and considers all factors associated with the act of making. By simulating manufacturing processes, the manufacturing time and material property have to be carefully studied. In the UIA+CBC design-build conceptual design stage, UC students developed several concepts that began to address some of the construction and assembling issues. Student projects proposed manipulation of material after a careful investigation of its property constrains. Physical prototyping had a broader level of challenges than a physical representation. Digital fabrication in the design/ build process allows the students an opportunity to take a new role as a fabricator or a “sawman.” We are empowering students to consider various factors from the point of manufacture. These students actively engage in a sustainable practice where students realize the effects of material and immaterial on a larger scale.

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2.2.1 Design-Build Shelter In the second-year and third-year design building project lead by Professor Ming Tang, a pyramid form is designed and broken down to its structural frameworks with paper tubes, and skin panels. UC students created parametric models that would be fabricated through laser cutting and traditional woodwork in the shop. All the triangle panels were developed digitally and tessellated into patterns in the parametric design software.

The clustering and composition of these panel elements, the tectonic relationship of each paper tube, became the driver of the entire form. The modular system and a large number of repetitive joints encourage the growth beyond the pyramid form.

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2.2.2 Design-Build Interior: ITSC Interior Renovation

Students: Mark Specker, Michael Czmiel, Adam Sambuco, Mary Cassidy, Megha Dubey, Mackenzie Grause, Kristin Plummer, Nicole Ridder, Han Shen, Jonathan Tomko Faculty: Ming Tang Client: ITSC, School of Information Technology.

Project is supported by School of Architecture and Interior Design, DAAP. School of Information Technology, CECH UC Metro Lab, UCRI Advisor: Xiangwei Zhao, Mei Zhao, Shubber Falah, Chang Di, Yingdong Hu. Volunteer: Benjamin Zhang

This design-build includes new interior surfaces, furniture, and other interior elements. The team also needed to complete all fabrications and assembling job within a limited $9,000 budget. Led by Professor Tang, the UC design-build team utilized the cutting-edge computeraided design (CAD) tools as well as computer-aided manufacture (CAM) tools and completed the entire project under the budget in only thirteen weeks. In the design phase, students were required to develop a sequence of iterations to reflect the interior surface tessellation and optimization process of plywood panels. Parametric design software Rhino and Grasshopper were used to form a network of triangular shapes. The team optimized the orientation of each panel based on the material performance and the relation to the daylight. This process created a smooth transition between frame-like panels to solid sheet panels. Later, a similar tessellation approach was used to create the table. The same triangular pattern was adjusted to achieve desired aesthetics on the new partition walls. The inputs for the CAM pipeline include cutting patterns, panel anchor points, labels, and sheet layout. At the same time, the outputs were sets of flatted triangular panels ready for CNC milling in the rapid prototyping center at DAAP. In the final assembling, fifty-two different wood panels were installed precisely on the wall.

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3. A Possible Future Blend Representation with Prototyping Today, a new trend of Augmented-Reality (AR) aided construction reveals a great potential to blend the representation and the full-scale prototyping into a cohesive process. AR hardware, such as Microsoft Hololens, is becoming more accessible and integrated into the design + build process. It is essential for architecture and interior design students to take on a new role as both a designer and a fabricator. With the ability to visually and numerically quantify the efficacy of fabrication, the student can experience the integration of fabrication, material parameters, and the engagement to the tangible world.

Visualization ARCH7014, Fall 2018 Student: Jordan Sauer

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Visualization ARCH7014, Fall 2018

Student: Alexandra Cole, Yiying Qiu, Morgan Heald

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Conclusion Architects need to expand their understanding of the relationship between representation and prototyping to incorporate a design-build process. As educators, we must fully be aware of the distinction and interconnection of physical representation and physical prototyping. “The essential values of the architectural practice, including but not limited to material properties, constrains of fabrication, assembling process, and economic constraints, need to be prevalent during the conceptual design phase of all beginning design students.” ( Tang. Vera, M., Anderson, J. 2011) The design-build projects are an optimal place where consideration of fabrication processes should create a feedback loop to the conceptual design. The precaution to the manufacturing process and material issues such as tolerance, strength, flexibility, and cost will encourage us to create innovative design solutions.

References 1.Tang, M., Vera, M., Anderson, J. Representation and Realizing: a hybrid process of immaterial and material. 2011 National Conference on the Beginning Design Student (NCBDS), Lincoln, Nebraska.

2.Paper Tube Pyramid. SAID, DAAP, University of Cincinnati. http://ming3d.com/ new/2017/11/06/paper-shelter-installation/ 3.ITSC renovation project. SAID, DAAP, University of Cincinnati. http://ming3d.com/ new/2017/11/06/itsc-renovation-project/ 4.Augmented Reality project. SAID, DAAP, University of Cincinnati. http://ming3d.com/ new/2019/01/03/ar-based-digi_fab/

174 Conlusion

Acknowledgment The manuscript is a revised version of a previously published paper titled Representation and Realizing: a hybrid process of immaterial and material. 2011 National Conference on the Beginning Design Student (NCBDS), Lincoln, Nebraska. Author. Ming Tang. Co-authors are Maria Vera, Jonathan Anderson.

The pyramid project was completed by SAID students from ARCH3014 SP15, and SAID2013 FA15 courses. Structure design: Jacob Anderson, Benjamin Blake, Caleb Lang.

The ITSC Interior Renovation. MetroLab Studio ARCH7005, Summer 2016. Students: Mark Specker, Michael Czmiel, Adam Sambuco, Mary Cassidy, Megha Dubey, Mackenzie Grause, Kristin Plummer, Nicole Ridder, Han Shen, Jonathan Tomko. Volunteer: Benjamin Zhang.

Advisor: Xiangwei Zhao, Mei Zhao.

The AR project was completed by students: Alexandra Cole, Morgan Heald, Andrew Pederson, Lauren Venesy,Daniel Anderi, Collin Cooper, Nicholas Dorsey, John Garrison, Gabriel Juriga, Isaac Keller, Tyler Kennedy, Nikki Klein, Brandon Kroger, Kelsey Kryspin, Laura Lenarduzzi, Shelby Leshnak, Lauren Meister, De’ Sean Morris, Robert Peebles, Yiying Qiu, Jordan Sauer, Jens Slagter, Chad Summe, David Torres, Samuel Williamson, Dongrui Zhu, Todd Funkhouser. Project team leads: Jordan Sauer, Yiying Qiu, Robert Peebles, David Torres.

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05 Student Projects Design+Build

S c h o o l of A rc hi te c tu re a n d I nte r i o r D e s i g n Stu d e nt s U ni ve r s i t y of C i n c i nn at i

01. T h e S p i n 02. The Gate 0 3 . Pe e l i n g T h r o u g h T h e O r c h a r d 0 4 . Wo o d e n F l o w e r 0 5 . Wa f f l e d Wa ve 06. Design Proposal Presentation

01

The Spin Students (University of Cincinnati): Lauren Figley, Jordan Micham, Andi Moore, Vu Tran Huy, Patrick McQuillen, Perry Wreaks

Design Description:

Created by fitting thin plywood onto a notched ‘s’ curve track, The Spin allows for a full 360 degree rotation to enhance the experience of being in nature. Picture this -- grassy field, sitting close to the stream. You’re sitting on the bench in the middle of the spin. The slow, wind speed rotation of the units allow for multiple views of the water.

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Student Projects Design+Build 181 01. The Spin

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02

The Gate Students (University of Cincinnati): Caleb Diehm, Michael Webb, Ruth Shiferaw, YuHyum Oh Design Description:

‘The Gate’ was a collective effort to develop a concept inspired by the cultural and environmental context of the site. Given the rural location, we believed that the majority of the people who would interact with the structure would be the elderly. It was very important to us that our design would give the elders of the region a sense of familiarity rather than that of alienation.

However, we did not wish to merely mimic traditional Chinese architecture. It was our goal to reinterpret its characteristic essence, creating a contemporary minimalistic form without losing the flavor of the original.

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Student Projects Design+Build 187 02. The Gate

Student Projects Design+Build 189 02. The Gate

03 Peeling Through The Orchard Students (University of Cincinnati): Andre Cifuentes, Kelly Kottlowski, Abigail Lovins, Jordan Tedesco, Tori Wanstrath Design Description:

Our main goal is to create a space that seamlessly integrates shelter into the orchard. The “Century-Old Pear Orchard” is located in Guoyuan Village, Aiyuan Town, Siyang County, China. The orchard is integrated with a typical trading town at the boundary between two provinces and is known for its “crisp white pears”. It is these pears that have inspired both the form and purpose of this design. Just as when a pear’s skin is peeled, this structure curls and undulates throughout the existing landscape and fruit tree. The winding nature of the structure weaves around the fruit-bearing trees and pulls visitors under its shelter.

The main purpose of this wooden structure is to offer a place for villagers to sell fruit and to supply a location for visitors or community members to sit and enjoy the pears and other fruit that is native to the orchard. Benches peel through the orchard, moving from a canopy of trees and leaves to a constructed wood canopy that offers shade on a sunny day. The proposed construction is located by a river within a grove of trees. This offers a calm and secluded escape from the busy days in the trading village. The community is welcome to sit or lay on the benches, eat the fruit, and enjoy a relaxing day socializing in the orchard.

The proposed construction consists of a series of 2x4’s that create an offset ribbed structure system. These wooden ribs are connected by bamboo pieces that slide through notches in the ribs and create a joint system. There are also a few steel structural members spread throughout the system. The length and angle of the wood pieces vary depending on their location in the structure. Separate systems compose the canopy and benches. The resulting form is seen in three main branches: two benches that weave through the trees like the peel of a pear and a third segment that flows and raises up over the benches to create the canopy, almost as if a wave were coming from the river and crashing on-land.

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Rendering

night view of the tea house: light and shadow

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04

Wooden Flower Students (University of Cincinnati): Andrew Dunn, Gabriel Waters, Isaac Macleod, Connor Bussick, SJ Laake Design Description:

For our parametric design we hoped to create a playful, flexible, and friendly environment.

This flowery form is meant to invite relaxation and recreation while being able to view the blossoming orchards. Inspired by the pear trees, we have abstracted the flowers into a structural form that can be climbed on, rested in, or simply admired. Our design is light and minimal so focus can remain on the site while not affecting the light from adjacent trees.

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05

Waffled Wave Students (University of Cincinnati): Seanna LaGanke, Jake Bayer, Alex Phinney, Kristian Van Wiel, Noah Nicolette Design Description:

Our project seeks to create pockets of gathering spaces accompanied by framed views between and through a large, rolling, wave-like form. We shaped this form to appear as if a wave is rolling over and under the landscape, while using it’s “barrel” to frame nice views of the site and the “troughs” to create interstitial spaces where people can interact with one another. The smallest of our structures gives individuals the best views of both our project, and the site it inhabits. To physically construct these forms, we propose a “waffling” technique: a technique in which sheets of plywood are given slits, and slotted into one another over and over again. We would CNC mill the plywood to give it the required curve, and brace the pieces together. To achieve the longer lengths that we need, we would lap joint and secure several pieces together.

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06

Design Proposal Presentation

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Image Source： Yingdong Hu Daqiang Li Zhuo Chen Shurui Li Zijia Wang Yuanjia Luo Yanqi Yi Jian Xiao(CBC)

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Acknowledgment Thanks to the support from the UC Press, UC Intentional office, and the school of Architecture and Interior Design, College of DAAP for book publishing. Thanks to Dr. Raj Mehta, Vice Provost for International Affairs of UC, and Prof. Xuedong Yan, Vice President of Beijing Jiaotong University to write the preface to this book. Thanks to Sophia Triantafyllopoulos, Moira Morgan for proof read and text editing.

Thanks to Xiangbin Xu, Yongquan Chen, Yuhui Song and graduate assistant Jeremy Swafford, Shreya Jasrapuria, Kenna Gibson, Alan Bossman, Tess Ryan for design advising.

Thanks to Professor Xinhao Wang from the University of Cincinnati for providing good suggestions for the evaluation and follow-up service of the “Pear Orchard Cabins”. Thanks to Yunan Zhang, Huazhan Guo for their guidance on the project. Thanks to Gaohong She, deputy dean of the School of Architecture and Design, Beijing Jiaotong University, for providing support for Chinese and American students to go to Siyang for construction, and on-site guidance; Professor Haishan Xia and Professor Chun Zhang provided help for the smooth progress of the construction competition.

Thanks to Pinle Zhang, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of School of Architecture and Design, Lei Fan, Xin Zhang and Jifeng Wang from Office of International Affairs of BJTU for their active efforts.

Thanks to Chris Auffery,Yinan Jiang , Xiangwei Zhao, Xiaoying Meng, Wei Gao,Mei Zhao for contributing to the UC-BJTU inter-university cooperation. Thanks to graduate students Xiaorui Liu and Zixuan Wang for their contributions to the construction competition and manuscript layout.

Thanks to Fu Rong, Jian Xiao, Chunhong Yang, Wufan Liu, Xiaotong Xu, Jingqi Zhan, Daowu Yu, Wenyu Wang, Lin Fang from China Building Center (CBC) , thanks to the proprietor Siyang County’s Government for support. Thanks to designers Jianming Wang and Luo Yang for technical support, thanks to Jimu Construction Technology Engineering (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, Qingdao wangbaoqiang Industrial Co., Ltd, Guangzhou Haode doors and windows Co., Ltd. for providing technical support for construction.

It is also supported by The Humanities and Social Sciences Research Planning Fund project of the Ministry of Education, “Research on the Influence Mechanism and Application of Virtual Reality Technology on Architectural Design Thinking and Teaching” (19YJAZH032) Achnowledgment 209