PORTFOLIO 2021

Portfolio Selected Works 2015 - 2020 EMAIL: wangyao_1995@hotmail.com TEL: 832 660 6015

AO

ANG

Yao Wang EDUCATION

wangyao_1995@hotmail.com 832-660-6015 Portfolio Link: https://issuu.com/oayooo/docs/2020-updated

Rice University, Master of Architecture - Full-tuition Scholarship Rice University, Paris Program, Overseas Studio Nanjing University, Bachelor of Engineering in Architecture

8.2017-12.2019 8.2018-12.2018 9.2013-7.2017

EXPERIENCES Architectural Designer / Page, Houston, US 8.2020-Present - Worked on Walmart Child Care Center, responsible for two concept schemes design and produced the presentation file - Participated in Texas Children Hospital Project, worked on exterior and interior design in SD and DD phases Technical Designer / Gensler, San Francisco, US 2.2020-4.2020 - Participated in the CityView Office Project, worked on SD and DD phases, mainly focused on facade design and sustainable design, created diagrams and documents by grasshopper and Revit Research Assistant / Rice University, Remote, US 4.2020-8.2020 - Participated in the research project about VR tools in architectural and engineering design - The final design “Circular Prototypes: FEW Rooftop Infrastructures” has been selected to participate in the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism 2021 Summer Intern / HOK, San Francisco, US 6.2019-8.2019 - Participated in the Master-plan design of Mare Island in Vallejo, San Francisco, including producing 3D models of building typologies, renderings and diagrams of site analysis - Worked on 4th and Harrison Complex in San Francisco, produced sustainability diagrams - Participated in China Basin Renovation project in San Francisco, including 3D modeling the courtyard public space and working on lighting design 5.2018-8.2018 Intern Designer/ Sunyata Real Estate Management Co.Ltd, Chengdu, China - Produced marketing research, pre-planning for a new commercial complex - Participated in design management and communication with architecture firm, including reviewing the construction documents and organizing feedbacks for design 3.2017-Present Co-founder/ WHY Workshop, Nanjing, China - Responsible for the entire process of the interior design of a souvenir store in Guizhou, China; the architectural design of a hostel and restaurant in Hefei, China; the interior design of a beauty salon and a cocktail bar in Haikou, China; the renovation design of a countryside house in Nanjing, China 6.2017-8.2017 Intern Architect/ Studio of Keyang Tang, Shenzhen, China - Participated in the office design of Southern University of Science, Shenzhen, China, worked on the concept design through construction administration Intern Architect/ OPEN Architecture, Beijing, China 6.2016-8.2016 - Participated in the project of Sky City Phase 5, Wuhan, China - Produced drawings, renderings, physical models to develop the interior design of lobby and floating layer of the high-rise project

HONORS LEED, AP, BD+C License, USGBC LEED, Green Associate License, USGBC Margaret Everson-Fossi Fellowship Award John Crowder Traveling Fellowship Outstanding Prize, Challenge Club Solar Building Design and Engineering Award Third Prize, International Competition for Architecture Students of Teamzero Award

2021 2019 2019 2019 2016 2015

SKILLS Softwares:

Rhino Photoshop Enscape

Languages:

English - Fluent

Sketchup Illustrator Vray

Revit Indesign Lumion

AutoCAD Premiere GIS

Chinese - Native

Grasshopper

French - Basic

CONTENTS PRACTICES

01

WORK SAMPLES

HOK, San Francisco Office Gensler, San Francisco Office PAGE, Houston Office WHY Workshop, Own Design Studio Intern Works + Practice Works 2017 - 2020

ARCHITECTURE

02

DISSOLVED INTO FOREST

Branch Library Rice Core Studio | Austin, US Individual Work 2017.8 - 2017.11

03

TRANS-PROGRAMMING

Campus High-rise NJU Core Studio | Nanjing, China Individual Work 2016.9 - 2016.11

04

EXISTENZMINIMUM

Water Tank Rice Core Studio | New York, USA Group Work, with Emilia Cavallaro 2019.8 - 2019.11

LANDSCAPE URBANISM

05

Growing Archipelagos

Urban Design Rice Core Studio | Houston, US Individual Design + Group Research 2018.1 - 2018.4

06

INVISIBLE BOUNDARY

Landscape Design Rice Option Studio | Mexico City, Mexico Individual Design + Group Research 2019.1 - 2019.4

Mare Island Master-Plan / Internship in HOK / 2019 Summer

4th & Harrison Office Building / Internship in HOK / 2019 Summer

CityView Office Building / Gensler / 2020

Walmart Child Care Center / Page / 2020

Village Restuarant and Youth Hostel / Practice Project of WHY Workshop / 2019 Location: Hefei, China Client: Sunyata Hotel Management Company Partner: Leyuan Li Status: To be constructed Located in the suburban area of Hefei, the client intends this youth hostel and restaurant to be the catalysts that can activate the suburban village.

The village will be transformed into an art commune in the future, so the restaurant and hostel need to provide a good eating and living place for visitors. In our design, we respect the context of the existing village while creating interesting small spaces for people to explore. Courtyards are important spaces in residential houses of the village, so we keep this typology in our new building but with a more modern architectural language.

Beauty Salon Interior Design / Practice Project of WHY Workshop / 2020 Location: Haikou, China Client: Half-moon Beauty Salon Partner: Leyuan Li Status: Built

Rendering

Photo

Bar and Cafe Interior Design / Practice Project of WHY Workshop / 2020 Location: Haikou, China Client: Slash Bar Partner: Leyuan Li Status: Built

Rendering

Photo

Specialty Store Interior Design / Practice Project of WHY Workshop / 2019 Location: Guizhou, China Client: Kewei Tang Partner: Leyuan Li Status: Built This is an interior design for a specialty store in an ancient town in Guizhou.

The client hopes the store can be a modern and fancy place to give traditional specialty new life. The main concept of this space is the emphasis on customer experiences. Instead of focusing only on the products, we want to emphasize the experience when customers shop in this store. Therefore, we use curved shelf to create a continuous feeling and the appearance of infinite space. Round corners and furniture also support this intention which helps to maximize the existing small space.

Rendering

Photo

Renovation of Rural Residential House / Practice Project of WHY Workshop / 2017 Location: Nanjing, China Client: Taiwan Lavender Cottage Company Partner: Leyuan Li Status: Built The biggest challenge of this project was that we only had one month for design and construction. Since this used to be a residential house in a village of Nanjing, we kept the main structure and layout of the house and focused more on the interior renovation. We transformed the ground floor into a souvenir shop and the second floor into a café. The main material we used was wood because the client wanted the space to be comfortable and warm.

We also introduced many plants and small installations into the house to bring a lively atmosphere.

Before

After

01 Dissolved into Forest Rice University Core Studio / Library Design / Fall 2017 Professor: Carlos Jimenez Individual Work

The tree is the departure point of this project. There are many oak trees in the north of the site and I hope the library can be an extension of the forest and dissolve into the environment. Thus, several extractions are created to bring northern forest space and southern city space into the library. The curved shape, inspired by the sprawling branches of the oak tree, helps to create a fluid and connected space, while the rectangular boundary keeps consistent to the surrounding context. Like the growth of a tree, the ground floor contains the dynamic programs while static functions are located in the upper floor. The open access library is divided into a large archive library and small reading areas just like the trunk and branches of a tree. The straight facades towards the city view and the curved facades towards the landscape provide a unique and changing experience for users and visitors.

Balcony 1

Aluminum Shade

Balcony 2

Balcony 3

Glass Panel

Balcony 4

Courtyard 1

Structure System

Courtyard 2

Courtyard 3

Courtyard 4

Noise Points to control waves

Noise Points to control waves

Formalization of waves

Curve for Slab

Points for Doors

Double Facade

Curve for Floor Height

Points for Windows

Vertical Aluminum Shades

Curve for Openings

Points for Light

Wave Openings

Control Curves

Noise Points

Parametric Facade

02 TRANS-PROGRAMMING Nanjing University Core Studio / Highrise Design / Fall 2016 Professor: Xiaoning Hua Individual Work

The layout of a traditional Chinese campus is dramatically dominated by hierarchical system, which is strict and symbolize that both space and education are limited. Students always follow existing disciplines while buildings always follow the boring mode. In order to break this hierarchical system and enclosed space, this design deconstructs and rearranges the different spaces to create a more free and open campus. Hence, rebuilding the relationship between people in the university. Furthermore, the building, which is located in the boundary of campus, can also act as a medium to interact with the city and present the new campus system to the city.

Hierarchy System - Breaking the Hierarchy!

Gulou campus is a typical traditional Chinese campus layout with a hierarchy system. Buildings are symmetric about a central axis, adminiatration building is always the center of school, dormitory buildings are often arranged in an array, and public spaces are divided from each other. Hence, spaces in campus are boring and similar. The idea is to break this instituitionlized system and create a more flexible and multi-functional space.

Enclosed Campus - Campus is medium!

The site is located in the boundary area of campus, bordered to the north by a main road of the city. As a traditional enclosed campus, its high-rise building needs to exist as a landmark that can perform for the university and act as a medium between campus and city.

Podium Plan

Roof Garden Plan

Stadium Plan

Theater Plan

Classroom Plan

Ground-Level Plan

03 Existenzminimum

Rice University Totalization Studio / Water Tank Design / Fall 2019 Professor: Juan Jose Castellon Group Work with Emilia Cavallaro

The studio aims to enhance an interdisciplinary design approach bridging the gap between architecture and engineering, which puts emphasis on the integration of water, energy, and structural systems in the design and development of inhabited and self-sufficient rooftop units. The resulting prototypes is a contemporary alternative to the classical water tanks that are an essential part of the identity of New York’s skyline.

Starting from the eroding corner space atmosphere, I developed the design based on the catenary curve structure logic. Digital prefabrication technique would be used in the construction process that is a combination of contemporary technology and traditional construction logic. Both standardized and customized, this could be a prototype that has potential to be reproduced into different contexts according to customized conditions.

Plan Geometry Logic

Play with Poche Space

Plan Organization Level 01

Plan Organization Level 02

Section Geometry Logic

Play with Poche Space

Facade Modular Sytem

Openings Modular Sytem

PLAN 01

SECTION 01

Catenary Chains

Catenary Arches

Catenary Vault

Fins

Vertical Force Flow

Vertical Force Flow

Horizontal Force Flow

Horizontal Force Flow

PLAN 02

SECTION 02

Wind Rose Summer Months

Wind Rose Winter Months

Cross-Ventilation

Natural Light

SUMMER

Sun-Path Diagram Hourly Data: Try Bulb Temperature

Summer

Winter

WINTER

STEP 1 Robotic Fabrication of Steel Meshes

STEP 2 Pouring Concrete into the Formwork

STEP 3 Toweling the Surface

STEP 5 Transportation

STEP 6 Set up Steel Joints

STEP 7 Assemble by Cranes

STEP 4 Curing Process

STEP 8 Hanging on Facade Panels

Steel Joints

Facade Panels Waterproof Layers

Solar Panel Filtration System Filters

Solar Panel Filtration System

CONCRETE UNIT 01 Volume: 4.9m³ Weight: 11,760kg

BAR TABLE

JOINT 01

PANALS

X5

CONCRETE UNIT 02 Volume: 3.8m³ Weight: 9,120kg

BAR CHAIR

JOINT 02

X6

CONCRETE UNIT 03 Volume: 2.8m³ Weight: 6,720kg

JOINT 03

LADDERS

X2

CONCRETE UNIT 04 Volume: 2.2m³ Weight: 5,280kg

CAFE CHAIR

X2

DELIVERY

Total Weight: 56,640kg

06

01

CONCRETE UNIT 05 Volume: 4.0m³ Weight: 9,600kg

04

X3

CONCRETE UNIT 06 Volume: 5.9m³ Weight: 14,160kg

02

CAFE TABLE

STOOLS

X5

ASSEMBLY

Final Volume: 5m X 5m X 5m

03 05

Horizontal Detail

Horizontal Detail

Vertical Detail

Vertical Detail

1. Concrete 2. Steel Joint 3. Reinforcement Metal Mesh 4. LED Drip Light 5. Anchor Resin

6. Anchor Hold 7. Insulation 8. Sealant 9. Facade Panels 10. Hanger

11. Porous Membrane 12. Porous Condensation 13. Thermal Conduction 14. Clean Water 15. Waterproof Later

16. Roof Gutter 17. Metal Coping 18. Drip 19. Window Frame

04 Growing Archipelagos Rice University Core Studio / Urban Design / Spring 2018 Professor: Naomi Hanakata Individual Work + Group Research

Climate change is a big problem in this world, so that natural disasters occurred frequently in recent years. Houston sits just under 50 feet above sea level and is among the flattest major metropolitan areas in the U.S. Subsequently, the city is under a high risk of flooding.

My project proposes a constructed topography as a strategy to mitigate flooding, to create recreational and ecological resources, and accommodate Houston’s expected population density increase. Hills ranging from three to eight meters are situated in different locations of the site, providing a higher ground for houses and open spaces. Next to each hill, lowerlying lands serve as retention ponds for flood conditions, and the excavated soil serves as materials to construct the elevated topography. Widening the bayou channel with terraces will also help to reduce flood damage and to restructure the site’s topography. The lowerlying lands and terraces serve as water run-off or overflow catchment areas during flooding while providing recreational amenities during normal weather conditions.

Water Basins of North America

Topography of USA

Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey of 2017 is tied with 2005’s Hurricane Katrina as the costliest tropical cyclone on record, inflicting $125 billion in damage, primarily from catastrophic rainfall-triggered flooding in the Houston metropolitan area and Southeast Texas. In a fourday period, many areas received more than 40 inches (1,000 mm) of rain as the system slowly meandered over eastern Texas and adjacent waters, causing unprecedented flooding. The resulting floods inundated hundreds of thousands of homes, which displaced more than 30,000 people and prompted more than 17,000 rescues.

Site Location

Located at the junction of Brays Bayou and the 610 loop at one of Houston’s lowest elevation points, the site is positioned almost entirely within the hundred year floodplain (and if assessing by post-Harvey floodplain re-mapping, within the five hundred floodplain). Riverine and run-off flooding is thus the largest physical challenge this community faces.

Weakness Analysis

Strategy Analysis

Impervious Percentage Analysis

Market Value Analysis

Phase One: 2020

Phase Two: 2040

Phase Three: 2050+

Program

Future Site Scenario

Topography Change

DENSITY

PROGRAM

OPEN SPACE

BLUE INFRASTRACTURE

TRANSPORTATION

LEGEND Catalyst

TOPOGRAPHY

Elevated Land Low-lying Land Water Ditch Bus Loop Monorail Bus Stop Bayou New Buildings

SITE PLAN 2050+ FAR >=2.0 0.8 - 2.0 0.2 - 0.8 <=0.2

FIGURE GROUND

PROGRAM Single-Family House Retail + Office Open Space Culture Multi-Family House

Build Place Analysis

Housing Analysis

Flood Analysis

Next to each hill, lower-lying lands serve as retention ponds for flood conditions, and the excavated soil serves as materials to construct the elevated topography. Widening the bayou channel with terraces will also help to reduce flood damage and to restructure the site’s topography. The lower-lying lands and terraces serve as water run-off or overflow catchment areas during flooding while providing recreational amenities during normal weather conditions. All of the lower-lying lands are connected by ditches to drain the impoundment to the bayou.

Activities as Catalyst

05 Invisible Boundary

Rice University Option Studio / Mexico City Airport Renovation Landscape Design / Spring 2019 Professor: Frida Escobedo Individual Work + Group Research

In order to protect the inner preserved area of Mexico City from encroaching city expansion, and help it back to sustainable natural conditions, my proposal in this project is to create a new edge on its western side. Based on the existing conditions of the site, water and agriculture resources are two main important resources that can be utilized in a more productive way. So my new edge acts as a buffer zone with some light infrastructures and activities. Instead of a physical wall, it is a field related to existing resources, protecting the inner natural area from urban sprawl.

Geographical Analysis of Mexico City

Hydrological Analysis of Mexico City

Edge Samples (from hard to soft)

City Expansion

Existing Boundary Condition of Site

Creating a New Edge

Flow of Energy

Solar Energy Collection

Power for Research Center

Power for Pumping Water

Wind Energy Collection

As a filter wall, only emission-free energy can be used in this system. Sustainable energy, such as wind energy and solar power, would be collected through wind turbine farms and solar panels, then used in research centers and the water pumping of a central pivot irrigation system.

Flow of Water Water coming from canals is polluted by informal settlements and ejido land. They are re-organized as three main streams which flow into the new chinampas system in the front of the edge zone. The chinampas agriculture field works as a bio-filter to purify the water with special vegetation and functions as a retention area when floods happen.

Retension Pond

Research Center

Chinampas

Irrigation Farm

Pumped for Irrigation

New Edge Field

Stored in Retension Pond

Water System

Purified through Chinampas

Water Storage

Water Pumping

Polluted in Canals

Central Pivot Irrigation

After

Before

Unrolling Edge - Before

Unrolling Edge - After