Architecture Portfolio 2023

Interdigitated Environment

Professor: Alex Barker, Team

Location: Queenborobridge, Brooklyn, NY

Year: Fall 2022

Role: Conceptual Design, 3D Model and Renderings, Drawings

Our studio has focused on applying the industrial scale to the individual by integrating makerspaces with a waste-to-energy and recycling facility. The makerspaces will support creators and designers in the community with training, tools, and equipment to develop their professional interests.

Adjacent to the site is Queensbridge Park, which offers an opportunity to develop infrastructure to connect the public with the river. A ferry terminal and outdoor public galleries are also integrated into the complex.

Finally, the north edge of the lot is adjacent to the Queensboro Bridge, making the roof design as a fifth facade an additional consideration for our site. Our project, Interdigitated Environment, seeks to integrate and intertwine the various programmatic elements of the project including interior and exterior, public and private, building, park and water.

Hands are essential for collecting and making. Due to the required programs in the project, we decided to make gestures of hands as a concept to design the form. By posing different forms, we get several reference lines, and we trace them to get the final form.

The ceramic studio is above the turbines and heat exchanger as a heat source for the kiln.

The recycling path is especially integrated with the studio programs, and a series of conveyor belts wrap through each of the volumes, and deposit different categories of recycling as it is sorted.

A connection to the river is essential for both the industrial and public programs of the project. Recycling and WTE products are collected by barge, and a ferry terminal provides transit along the river.

Visitors approaching from the north or east can also access the skygarden path along the roof of the volumes, which provides uninterrupted access from the street to the river and views of Manhattan to the west.

STEEL STRUCTURE SHEAR WALL

A-100

1/2"=1'-0"

Welded Steel Flange

Corten Steel Panel with interior tube structure

Metal rainscreen cladding panel

Mounting Tracks Mounting Bracket

Steel Structure with Spray on Fireproofing

Rigid Insulation

Exterior Sheathing

Continuous Air and Vapor Barrier

Light Gauge Steel Framing

Light Gauge Steel Kicker

Light Gauge Steel Header

Aluminum Frame Window Wall

DETAIL 2

A-100

1-1/2"=1'-0"

Corten Steel Panel with interior tube structure

Metal rainscreen cladding panel

Panel Joint

Mounting Tracks

Mounting Bracket

Rigid Insulation

Exterior Sheathing

Continuous Air and Vapor Barrier

Light Gauge Steel Framing

Steel Structure with Spray on Fireproofing

Precast concrete panel with interior insulation

Precast concrete anchor

DETAIL 3

A-100

1-1/2"=1'-0"

Floating Island

Professor: Mary Mattingly & Bram Gunther, Indivisual

Location: Governors Island, Yankee Pier NY

Year: Spring 2023

“SWALE is an essential concept for my project, which involves designing a fleet of barges that will expand the community impact and geographical reach of Governor’s Island, while also promoting its climate and advocacy goals across all five boroughs of New York City.

The idea of a “Floating Island” mainly represents a natural environment that can survive without any human support or influence. By creating an ecological system that can sustain itself, the floating island can continue to support life, provide food sources for creatures, and adapt to climate change and rising sea levels without any human intervention.”

Deck Level

1. Ramp in/out

2. Entrance

3. Bee Habitat

4. Deep Soil for Tree

5. River

6. Stair B1F

7. Stair 2F

8. Wave Energy Convert

9. Aquaponic

10. Human Activity

11. Oyster Culture

12. External Path

Plant Area

Aquaponic Farming

Outside Path

Oyster Culture

Marine Creature Habitat

Architecture as a part of natural environment

Professor: Sulan Kolatan, Team

Location: Farragut Houses, Brooklyn, NY

Year: Fall 2021

Role: Conceptual Design, 3D Model and Renderings, Drawings

Natural architecture should be buildings that are natural welcoming and could be habitats not only for humans but also other sorts of creatures. The shape, function, and materials of buildings all intimate creatures to come and they even disconnect each member in communities. To solve this series of problems, a new proposal is created, which keeps the shape and materials from nature and also solves many possible community problems.

The assigned site locates at Farragut House, New York, Brooklyn. A high-rise residential apartment is supposed to be built at the corner of Nassau Street and Navy Street. Since the project starts to develop in 1949, numerous facilities cannot fit the requirements of the community and many extra functional places should be built.

In this project, we start with finding special components from Carnegie Mansion Building and then try to write grasshopper scripts to form an interesting formation. We use the gate and the small column decoration as our references model.

Eventually, we form the upside-down building shape. We love this iteration because our main concept is creating architecture as a part of the natural environment. Architecture as a part of the natural environment is not just about materiality but also the shape itself.

Carnegie Masion

Creatures Habitat Apartment

Musical Concert

In this project, we provide a plaza for those who want to have performing space including the music program students and public residential combined public program, which is musical programs in our project because Community Roots Middle School doesn’t provide this program.

Music Class Room

Double High Apartment

Sky Garden

Falcon Habitat

Window View

Circulation Uses

The topic of the project is “Architecture as a part of the natural environment”, so we design for all the creatures. Not only people but also nature. Therefore, even non-residents are able to enjoy the sky garden by using specialized elevators, and the students can access the classroom easily. Also, the residents have their own elevators to the apartments.

We design classrooms on the basement level; therefore, the students can practice music easily and the residents don’t be bothered by them. There is the main plaza in the mid of the building which is for performing. The light blue is non-human activities area which is for falcons.

Private Space Green Area

In this project, we want the whole building to be covered by vegetation, so there is a park on the ground and basement level. Additionally, we design habitats for falcons on the upper part of the building, so there is a sky garden and facade plant area.

This area is a typical apartment for users with double high ceiling.

Visitor to Skygarden

Music classroom Students to Class Falcon Habitat Resident to Apt Main Plaza

“Alive” Habitat System

Professor: Robert Cervellione, Individual Location: Hudson Yards, NY

Year: Spring 2022

The proposed redesign of 10 Hudson Yards’ facade presents an innovative fusion of architectural prowess and environmental harmony. Leveraging the dynamic duo of Rhino and Grasshopper, this endeavor offers an enriching educational platform for students to refine their analytical skills and systematic thinking.

At its core, the design aspires to seamlessly integrate the building with nature, blurring boundaries through biophilic elements. By strategically employing shading devices and optimizing solar orientation with Grasshopper’s precision, solar radiation’s impact is mitigated. This not only curbs energy consumption but also augments thermal efficiency and daylight utilization.

1. Performance

a. Active Solar Shading

b. Green Facade

c. Bee Habitat

2. Material

a. Steel Structure

Frame

b. GFRP Twisted Panel

3. Geometric Grid Type

a. Rectangular Grid

b. Hexagon Grid

5. Unit Variation

a. The main facade system will close gradually depending on the solar heat.

4. System Type

Creating a second facade system connects with the existing curtain wall.

Delete some opening panels to form a star shape area to have the green area. Enrich the facade variation and also bring the natural environment to the building.

There are series levels of the opening depending on the solar radiation.

In order to protect the ecological system, here I design bee habitats on the facade as well which are close to the green area.

Vegetation

Twist Opening

Bee Habitat

Main Structure

Curtain Wall

Curtain Wall

Vertical Structure

Vertical Structure

Hexagon Structure

Hexagon Structure

Fins

Fin

Connection to Building

Vertical Mullion: W5 x 16 Steel

Second Structure : 3”x 3”

Frame of Fins

Facade Unit

Frame of Fin

South_without new facade system

South_with new facade system

Professional Work

Low Key Luxury Apartment

Apartment Interior Design, Individual

Year: Spring 2018

Total Floor Area: 500 m²

This was a residential project located in Tainan, Taiwan. The client wanted the design to showcase the piano, which holds great sentimental value. The client’s daughter is a piano teacher, hoping there is a place for performance to her family and friends. Therefore, I designed a concert hall theme throughout the space and carried it into the stairwell. I tried to use simple colors to emphasize and present the main subject in the area and keep some original architectural materials in order to balance between human-made and natural. Besides, the apartment is the retirement home of the clients. They spend as much time together as a family as they can, and so the house also features a beautiful family room, a home cinema, and a tea room.

Human-driven Design Philosophy. With this project, I wanted to articulate the importance of human connections and sentimental value. This design is centered around the same piano the owner’s daughter learned and teaches on. The minimalist approach to decorating really complements the piano as a centerpiece and brings the room together. The spacious place and balconies provide them a place to plant, helping to raise the air quality of the area. Also, the family can have tea and play chess in the multipurpose room.

A. Lobby B. Living Room C. Dining Room

D. Kitchen

E. Multipurpose Room F. Piano Area G. Family Room

H. Master Bedroom I. Bedroom J. Balcony

Lobby

Living Room

Kitchen

Master Bedroom