Nico's undergraduate portfolio

Yu-Lun ‘Nico’ Hsu / Undergraduate Architecture + Art Selected Works / University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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art works

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studio projects

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competitions

travel sketches + photos

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Human Portrait With a dot or a simple line I get to express the profound emotion of a human being. Architecture can also be expressed in a similar way, in which a gentle push and pull can create a complex spatial relationship

Traditional Chinese Painting It is an honor to inherit this part of my culture since this type of art is gradually fading away among the young generations. I see Chinese painting relevant to architecture. For example, the concept of foreground, mid-ground and background is being used to differentiate the space. We also use positive and negative spaces to reinforce the overall composition: space are often left in blank intentionally to create a sense of fog or sea.

02a

Ground level plaza rendering

Chicago Family Library Architecture + Education Building type: Time: Location: Instructor: Duration:

Family library Spring 2015 Chicago, IL Amir Ghoreishi 7 weeks

The Chicago Family Library is sited on the Southeast corner of West North Avenue and North LaSalle Street in Chicago. It is served as a center that creates a sense of community for families around the young neighborhood. As Robert M. Hutchins once said: “The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives.” The Chicago family library aims to inspire children to learn and provides the tools for them to continue to do so. Each floor is divided up into three sectors for different ages of children along with a parents’ section to supervise them.

Massing Design Timeline

First Iteration Start with the concept of having three components for three different ages of children and an outdoor plaza for social activities

Third Iteration Begin to explore the idea of how three components merge together on the upper floor

Feb. 18th~20th V1

Second Iteration

V2

Contour Line B

Contour Line C

Feb. 23rd~27th V3

Contour Line A Attempt to manipulate the form in Rhinoceros program without the aid of grasshopper

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Midterm V5

Form Exp

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Form For Midterm

Form Adjustment Form being adjusted to fit the functionality.

plorations

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Central Lightwell A major change was made near the end of the project.

With a central lightwell the building can receive more sunlight and also creates a connection between the floors

March 30th~April 2nd

March 21st~29th V26

Plaza Explorations Begin to design plaza with different levels and the idea of “semi-indoor“ park. The depressed plaza space is eventually aborted due to circulation and space issues

April 12th~20th

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Form Adjustment 2

Facade Explorations The perforated facade is designed according to the programs of each floor

Massing diagrams

Site: existing parking lot

Site: original circulation

The site is a parking lot for Moody Church

Merging three legs Merge those three zones that were a sense of indoor space on the plaza

Pathways surround the parking lot

Proposed circulation By crossing the pathways, the site gains a center plaza, which can engage the whole neighborhood and activate the block. The

Simple extrusion Transition of the form from void into solid. The extrusion adds a sense of monumentality to the building massing

Curve in the surface of the east facade so people can follow the form and identify the main entrance both visually and physically

Design diagrams

Cross Ventilation Wind can travel through the tunnels for ventilation purpose.

Green Plaza Using trees and vegetations to define circulation in the first level. They also help solving rainwater drainage around the building.

Acoustic Wood Screen Adding wood screen to prevent echo in the tunnels and plaza.

Light well Bringing more natural daylight into the building.

Interactive Learning Parents 3-5 year-old 6-9 year-old 10-14 year-old

4th Floor Auditory & Visual Learning Parents 3-5 year-old 6-9 year-old 10-14 year-old

3rd Floor Kinesthetic Learning Parents 3-5 year-old 6-9 year-old 10-14 year-old

2nd Floor Community Services Parents 3-5 year-old

Area: Mixed use Parents Children

6-9 year-old 10-14 year-old

Circulation: Firestairs Public Elevator

1st Floor

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1st Floor 1. Consulting center 2. Community Area 3. Plaza 4. Cafe 5. Janitor’s closet 6. Male’s restroom 7. Nursing room

2nd Floor 8. Female’s restroom 9. Storage 10. Driveway 11. Firestairs 12. Firestairs 13. Loading area 14. Cafe

1. Tutor room 2. Storage 3. Parents area 5. 3-5 year-old storytime 6. Painting area 7. Male’s restroom 8. 10-14 year-old area 9. 6-9 year-old storytime 10. Toys area

11. Parents area 12. Female’s restroom 13. Parents area 14. Music classroom 15. Workshop area 16. Janitor’s closet 17. Nursing room

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3rd Floor 1. 3-5 year-old reading area 2. 10-14 year-old reading area 3. Mechanical room 4. Janitor’s closet 5. Light well 6. Male’s restroom

7. Nursing room 8. Female’s restroom 9. Parents area 10. 6-9 year-old reading area 11. Theatre 12. Green room

9. Digital commons 10. Nursing room 11. Female’s restroom 12. Storage 13. Language center 14. South gallery 15. Virtual reality lab

02b

Integration & Interaction Architecture + Landscape Building type: Time: Location: Instructor: Duration: Honors:

Dance theatre Fall 2014 Oakwood, IL Fang Xu 6 weeks Student Choice Award 1st Place Edward C. Earl Prize 2nd Place NAAB Accreditation Selection

The site-specific dance theatre, located next to the Emerald pond at Kickapoo State Park, IL, adapts the slope of the hill to generate the massing and a unique outdoor recreation area. The stacking of the service and servant space adds a sense of monumentality to the building in contrast with the site. The orientation of the theatre encourages movement and provides visibility to the beautiful scenery of the State park.

Front entrance rendering

Massing diagrams

The slope of the site and the location of the pond determine the orientation of the building

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Design diagrams

Earth Work

Circulation

Theatre

Minimize earth work by using cut and fill technique

Two separate routes for visitors and staffs to increase mobility for evacuation after a show

Thrust theatre provides visibility for all the audience to background scenery

Structure

Landscape

Load bearing walls on the first level; beams & columns on the second level

Adapt the slope for landscape and recreation.

Facade view diagram

Section axonometric drawing with materials

Fair-faced concrete Increase the sense of weight and monumentality to the first floor

Acoustic wooden panels Enhance the overall sound quality in the theatre space

Perforated Stainless Steel Panels Filter daylight and views for different areas of the building

Toughened Glass Provide clear view of the site from indoor

Channel Glass Filter lighting and views for different areas of the building

The theatre connects with the site in both visual and functional way. The building sits gently on the hill creating a space between the top level and the ground, which provides a platform for recreation and events.

Both visitors and performers get to observe the surrounding nature within the building.

02c

Personal Urban Space Architecture + User Experience Building type: Time: Location: Instructor: Duration:

Bookstore Spring 2015 Champaign, IL Amir Ghoreishi 2.5 weeks

The bookstore in downtown Champaign is located at a critical location where many social activities take place. Instead of having more social activities, the space is designed to promote personal space and individual thinking. The bookstore also serves as a celebration of books and knowledge in contrast with the rapid internet technology.

South-East facade rendering

Spatial Relationship

3rd floor Storage

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2nd floor Storage

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Mechanical Room

1st floor

Register

Elevator

Fire Stair

Entrance

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Magazine

Art Gallery

Design Strategies The bookstore has a rather simple floor layout with two solid components at the front and back and a wide atrium in the middle. The column-less open floors and light wells emphasize the verticality, which along with the book walls they create a sense of serenity when people enter the space. The individual reading boxes have multiple interpretations, they could be seen as display boxes for people outside of them; they could also serve as a protective barrier when one is inside them.

02d

Hotel Callecita Architecture + Urbanism Building type: Time: Location: Instructor: Duration:

Boutique hotel Fall 2015 Capstone Eixample, Barcelona Xavier Vancells 3 months

The project aims to create a dialogue between the boutique hotel and the district of Eixample, Barcelona by activating the neighborhood and improving Cerda’s original city planning. Since the site is fragmented with broken blocks, people cannot experience what Cerda intended to do. The strategy is to create a micro city block within the hotel to mimic that missing space and establish a connection between the two adjacent parks.

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Front facade night rendering

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Service Spaces

Instead of stacking all the public spaces linearly, the service spaces are distributed throughout each level. The main circulation is designed according to the program.

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Service Space Public space Servant space Garden / Gallery Guest rooms

Fire stairs Main circulation Elevators

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Sectional Perspective Drawing

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Solar Panels provide electrical power to the facade panel system

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Green wall and interior garden improve air quality and reduce noise

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Guest room facade system provides temperature and lighting control

Openings on roof provide additional sunlight for the garden

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Garden space on top provides cross ventilation and thermal insulation for floors beneath it

Open Ground Floor provides cross ventilation

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Concrete improves thermal insulation and reduce noise within the hotel

Central atrium space provides stack ventilation

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Floor Plans Floor Plans

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Ground Level 1. Entrance 2. Lobby 3. Bar 4. Locker Room 5. Elevators 6. Restaurant 7. Art Gallery 8. Public Restrooms

9. Firestairs 10. Interior Garden 11. Office 1 12. Mechanical Room 13. Office 2 14. Staff Restroom 15. Kitchen 16. Storage

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First Level

Second Level

Third Level

1. Elevators 2. Restaurant 3. Stage 4. Green Room 5. Guest Rooms 6. Reading Room 7. Firestairs 8. Storage

1. Elevators 2. Guest Rooms 3. Meeting Room 4. Firestairs 5. Storage

1. Elevators 2. Guest Rooms 3. Media Center 4. Firestairs 5. Storage

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Fourth Level

Fifth Level

Sixth Level

Roof

1. Elevators 2. Guest Rooms 3. Fitness Room 1 4. Fitness Room 2 5. Firestairs 6. Storage

1. Elevators 2. Guest Rooms 3. Flexible Room 4. Firestairs 5. Storage

1. Elevators 2. Gardens 3. Gallery 4. Firestairs 5. Storage 6. Bar

1. Solar Panels

Detailed Section 0

Weather seal (exterior sealant and backing rod)

Wooden louver Glass

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Gypsum board ceiling Interior wooden panels

Wooden louvers Glass window Interior wooden panels

Insulation

Insulation layer Galería space

Facade Design The operable facade system allows hotel guests to adjust the temperature. In between the glass and the interior wooden panels is the “galeria“ space, which is a unique feature in the neighborhood of Eixample. It serves as an indoor balcony space and can be used for thermal control.

gypsum board ceiling

Marble floor panels Bolted connection Gravel fill under the floor Drainage pipe Foundation footing

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Structure Study Model I designed a special structure system for the hotel by stacking concrete load bearing walls in different orthogonal directions. The structure system is specifically applicable for the building due to the program layout.

Hotel Guest Room Types The layout of each room type follows a modular grid of functions.

Different room types have different emphasis on the functionality.

Differ from the traditional linear circulation, every guest room promotes movemet and interactions except the barrier-free rooms.

Single Room

Double Room

Family Room

Barrier-free Room

Gallery space

Hygienic space

Gallery space

Hygienic space

Gallery space

Hygienic space

Gallery space

Hygienic space

Comfort space

Task space

Comfort space

Task space

Comfort space

Task space

Comfort space

Task space

Circulation

Circulation

Circulation

Circulation

Detention basin for UV purification Basin 1: plant filter of algae Basin 2: reeds Basin 3: reeds Basin 4: fish + mussels

Self-sustained Parks The parks recycle the wastewater from the hotel for irrigation. The wastewater goes through five phases of treatment before being reused. The scope of the design can be further extended to all the blocks in Eixample to generate a unique urban fabric. Besides the hotel wastewater, the basins can also collect grey water from the adjacent apartments.

Railing Grass layer Soil layer

Net protection Concrete basin Reeds Sand filter

Inflated Canopy Architecture + User Interaction Project type: Time: Location: Collaborators:

Installation Fall 2015 Champaign, IL Andrew Smith Damon Stich Kristina Werner Theradej Nasueb Duration: 1 Semester Award: Design & Build Competition 1st Place Contributions: Concept development Consulting with professors Detailed drawings Graphic design Construction Maintenance In order to activate the courtyard space outside of Temple Buell Hall, the architectural intervention must provide a destination for people to gather.

Part spectacle and part collaboration activate the courtyard and allow people to interact and collaborate with the architecture of the courtyard.

Balloons provide the structure to support project and serve as objects that can allow people to change the form of the structure.

Photo by Damon Stich

03a

January 27th, 2015

January 31st, 2015

February 2nd, 2015

February 25th, 2015

April 11, 2015

First round of competition

Second round of competition

Build day

Concept The first objective of this proposal, is to provide a much needed shading device in the open courtyard.

The second, is to attract people into the courtyard by having a very tall and stunning structure. And third objective is to engage people with the structure Testing

Design phase

Building day

Small scale testing by using helium balloons. The balloons were able to lift the net up, but the installation only last one day

Consulting with Professor Eric Snodgrass from the Atmospheric Sciences department. He recommended us several balloon materials and also suggested us to use hydrogen to fill the balloons since it is more affordable and easier to access

Dividing the team into two groups, one pour concrete and one weave the net

April 12, 2015

April 22nd, 2015

May 1st, 2015

May 17th, 2015

Build day 2

Second installation

Third installation

Final installation

Final installation Setting up for graduation events. We also used blue and orange color balloons for school spirit

Building day 2

Second installation

Inflating big balloons and mylar balloons with hydrogen under the supervision of Professor Eric

Setting up for the undergraduate research week event

Monster

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Architecture + Nature Project type: Time: Location: Collaborator: Duration: Award: Contributions:

Pavilion Summer 2015 Soho Square, London Steve Da-Hong Sheng 3 weeks Expanded Environment Awards Competition 2015 Honorable Mention Concept development Digital modeling Detailed drawings Graphic Design

A bike parking structure which uses the theme of human duality from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of Robert Louis Stevenson’s short novel, serves as a discussion point regarding the constructive

and de-constructive nature of civilization and our society today. The interactive elements of functionality combined with the utilization of nature addresses and promotes the issue of

balance and sustainability.

Entrance rendering

03b

The design phase of the biking pavilion included design

In turn the structure is a combination of a

considerations to incorporate nature, the ability to

bike parking lot and an outdoor theatre. Since

give an interactive experience and to reflect human

biking is becoming a major part of London’s

monstrosity. The building is a bike shelter which

transportation system, providing a bike parking

doubles as a place for lounging and event hosting.

lot instead of an automobile one can further

The structure is designed around existing trees in the

promote the culture of sustainability. The project

park to avoid any uprooting and repositioning, and also

offers a connection between urbanization and

giving back roughly amount of same green space even

nature, not only in visual and historical aspects,

after constructing a structure within the park.

but also in terms of functionality.

Immediately the construction can be seen an abomination, with scrap metal serving as the faรงade of the structure. It serves as a resemblance of the monstrosity of human industrial feats and all the ugliness that we left behind. The structure is also created of an angular form, which is embedded into the ground, serving as a reflective example of how there is a duality in the building. The lifted hill and the lowered plaza referencing the hills and canyons we can find in nature, These mimicked natural landscapes serves as a testimony of human capacity. We not only are able to reconstruct nature via simple structures, but also introduce the contract the release technique with the juxtaposition to draw pedestrians and bikers into the designated functional spaces.

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Architectural sketches Besides from travel sketches, I also practiced analytical drawings for buildings during my summer travels and studying abroad program in Barcelona, Spain. It helped me to understand each building in terms of spatial relationship, construction order, and materiality.

Spatial composition Photography sharpens my sensibility to spaces. I use different techniques to compose my photographs. Both pictures above have a similar spatial composition of foreground, mid-ground, and background. The foreground helps framing the mid-ground while the background reinforces the depth. (Left: Tokyu Plaza, Omotesando, Japan / Right: Antelope Canyon, Arizona, United States / Bottom: Governors Island, New York, U.S)

Scale & Proportion I use different scales to give my audience a sense of proportion between the objects so they can understand the space even more. (Bottom: Gardens of Versailles, Versailles, France)

Positive & Negative spaces Negative and positive spaces are equallity important as one needs to reinforce another. I used the difference in colors to strengthen the things I want my audience to see. (Top: Pergamon museum , Berlin, Germany / Middle: Hehuan Mountain, Taiwan)

Email: yhsu22@illinois.edu More information at the website: http://nicohsu.weebly.com/