Six Projects

Sean Chia

Six Projects

Sean Chia

Six Projects

contents

Selected Projects miami mixer A high-rise to catch the wind

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monumental entropy Climatically-adaptable thermosyphon

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park-in-a-park Rare books library 24 calibrated porosities One building, two climates, three stakeholders

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the hidden room Five rooms experientially disguised as four

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brewtown manhattan Apartment complex + brewery hybrid

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Other Projects between the folds 52 Surface discretization 20x60x3000 Bamboo construction 54

Hotel lobby, Miami Mixer

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Sean Chia

Six Projects

Six Projects is a selection of work that showcases a continuous inquiry into the fundamental relationship between people and the built environment.

It also encapsulates an ambition to reconcile the discipline’s long-established tenets of spatial order and formal legibility with my endeavour for an inherently idiosyncratic architecture that ultimately engages the human condition.

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Six Projects

01 miami mixer A high-rise to catch the wind Core III, Harvard GSD Studio Critic: Maryann Thompson

Though a hyper-sensitive calibration between the conflicting demands of climate, structure and program, a unified architectural strategy is born.

The structurally diverse nature of the program led to a configuration of nested frames that not only resolved the fundamental challenge of structure, but simultaneously provided a two-pronged response to the harsh Miami climate - wind off the coast is harnessed to drive crossventilation, while the resulting formal organization self-shades from the scorching sun.

Circulation is guided by a synthesis between the thermodynamically diverse nature of the program, as well as a re-interpretation of mixeduse typology. One could begin to read the dissolution of the boundary between tower and podium, as the former appears to be a self-similar derivation of the latter, and vice-versa.

Shaded volumes and warm breezes: the tropical high-rise.

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Sean Chia Structure, shading, and crossventilation are collectively addressed through a nesting of long-span programs into a series of torqued frames.

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Six Projects

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Six Projects

Close encounters: by weaving circulatory paths of different programs together, the mixed-use typology is re-interpreted through heightened differences. b

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gym bath a

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BATH / GYM DETAIL SECTION (1”=2’) a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h.

precast r.c. stair (rise/run = 6“/12”) 25mm thk low-iron glass balustrade 25mm thk low-iron glass wall precast r.c. bath with in-built seats confused caldarium user deck with buzon pedestal @ 45” c/c to ensure level surface on top; screed below to fall for drainage precast fibre-reinforced concrete louvers with fixed double-glazed units precast fibre-reinforced concrete screen with operable glazing

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OPERABLE PRECAST SCREEN PANELS (1”=1’) a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h.

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2’ x 1’ universal section steel column 15mm thk galvanized steel capping precast fibre-reinforced concrete screen panels 15mm thk galvanized steel horizontal beam interface 75mm x 35mm x 15mm thk duralumin frame to receive glazing 15mm thk low-e glazing (U = 1.6) servo-actuated threaded galvanized axle as primary worm drive gear threaded galvanized axle as secondary worm drive gear welded to glazing frame

Sean Chia

Six Projects plan, hotel level

From diagram to detail, the typical hotel key is modified to fully embrace the pleasures of living in a tropical climate; the bathroom, a hindrance to crossventilation, is re-positioned.

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GUEST ROOM DETAIL SECTION (1”=2’) a. SECTION foldaway duralumin-framed glazed panels GUEST ROOM DETAIL (1”=2’)

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sunken bed without frame sunken planter deck with buzon pedestal @ 45” c/c to ensure level d. deck sunken bed below without surface; screed to fallframe for drainage g. e. west-facing balcony sunken planter

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open riser pre-cast r.c. stair with brazilian ipe tread insert c/w with integrated dresser foldaway duralumin-framed glazed panels c. precast hydronic louvers as atmosphereic dehumidifier c/w duralumin-framed glazed panels flushed to surface open riser pre-cast r.c. stair with brazilian ipe tread

insert c/w with integrated dresser precast hydronic louvers as atmosphereic dehumidifier c/w duralumin-framed glazed panels flushed to surface

f.

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deck with buzon pedestal @ 45” c/c to ensure level deck surface; screed below to fall for drainage west-facing balcony

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Sean Chia

Six Projects

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Sean Chia

Six Projects

02 monumental entropy Climaticallyadaptable thermosyphon Core I, Harvard GSD Studio Critic: Jeffry Burchard Featured in GSD Platform 7

Geometric primitives present latent thermodynamic behaviour, and in this investigation, the truncated pyramid is used as an apparatus for both heating and cooling.

When upright, it performs as an apparatus for cooling through the convection flows instigated by solar insolation. When inverted and driven into the ground, it becomes a vessel for capturing geothermal energy in the form of hot air through conduction and convection.

Thus, with a single geometric device, the space below an upright truncated pyramid experiences cooling, while the space in the upper region of an inverted truncated pyramid experiences heating.

Through bi-axial 180-degree rotations, a prescribed armature enables the toggling of the orientation of these pyramids.

Consequently, the inversion between inside-outside space (and thus air) takes place, ultimately resulting in the dispersal of hot spaces in the hot milieu and vice-versa in the cold.

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Six Projects Cool state: in polar regions, the four cones correspond to perpetual solar presence.

Why is it a cone?

A thermodynamic coincidence allows, in one state, for cooling, and in its inverted state, the retention of hot air.

Transformation: a single axis folding allows for the inversion of the cone, thereby adapting to either hot or cold climates.

Warm state: along equatorial regions, the single cone is shaped by the sun’s perfect overhead arc.

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Six Projects physical models (s: 1/32” = 1’)

From cold to hot: freeze frame trnasformation sequence

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Six Projects

03 park-in-a-park Rare books library Core II, Harvard GSD Studio Critic: Elizabeth Whittaker

Situated along the Emerald Necklace across the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, this project addresses the challenge of being situated squarely in a park.

Instead of deploying each program of the library into zones based on function, they are dissolved and spreaded heterogenously across the site, creating a field-like labyrinth of books, furniture, and library goers, akin to the non-discrete, serendipitous nature of parks.

Desire lines that once spanned the site are incorporated as field motivators to generate circulatory patterns that tie the building back to the site. The experience of the building thus resonates with the contextual forces that gives rise to it, creating a park, in a park.

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Sean Chia

1. site

2. aggregation within boundary

3. anchor

5. claude glass

6. desire line

4. taper

7. delimiter bars

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8. park in a park

physical model (s: 1/8� = 1’)

Sean Chia Field as soft boundary: spaces become discretized through the reaggregation of a field condition constructed with stacks and furniture.

Six Projects Clearings in the stacks: the architecturalization of the field.

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general stacks

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rare collection

Sean Chia

Six Projects

04 calibrated porosities One building, two climates, three stakeholders Core I, Harvard GSD Studio Critic: Jeffry Burchard Featured in GSD Platform 7

This is a laboratory building that houses 2 hypercompetitive divisions of a large pharmaceutical conglomerate.

Even though these two groups of scientists are circulatory separate, they are nonetheless imbricated topologically within each other’s presence, primarily through the visual medium.

The distinction is underscored through the thermal - the host building is experienced to be warmer, while the virus, cooler.

Through the polarity in the experience of heat and navigation, these two buildings and their associated circulatory zones are experientially separate, but they remain visually connected, running side-by-side as a whole.

Separated by a double-glazed wall, a corridor from one building runs parallel along the other, punctuated by stairs that mutually breach each other’s spatial boundaries.

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Six Projects

Thermal distinction is achieved through a calibration of the demand for hot and cold labs: in a sectional bifurcation of a typical room, the upper level would be experienced to be warmer, since warm air is less dense, and the lower level, cooler.

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physical model (s: 1/16� = 1’) 32

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Sean Chia

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Six Projects

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Imbrication of the two buildings occur at the scale of a room.

Infinite variation in programmatic distribution.

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event space

programmatic diagram

1st floor 3/32" : 1' A

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Six Projects

Units are aggregated as two biaxially raked slabs to exploit predominant wind direction while maintaining maximum solar insolation for both passive heating and cooling. axonometric 36

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Six Projects

05 the hidden room Five rooms experientially disguised as four

Hiddenness is an agenda.

Hiddenness is also multivalent. hiddenness hiddenness is an agenda. is an agenda. hiddenness hiddenness is alsoismultivalent. also multivalent. and and

yet theyet pleasure the pleasure of hiddenness of hiddenness is not without is not without revelation. revelation.

Yet, the pleasure of hiddenness in this in project, this project, hiddenness hiddenness is explored is explored beyondbeyond its physical its physical con- conliesstruct.within revelation. struct. hiddenness hiddenness thus resides thus resides in metaphysical in metaphysical cognition, cognition, or or the lack the thereof. lack thereof.

Core I, Harvard GSD Studio Critic: Jeffry Burchard

what iswhat experienced is experienced as fouras rooms four rooms is in reality is in reality five. five.

Inorganized thisorganized project, hiddenness in a vertical in a vertical series, series, each room each room is experienced is experienced sequentially sequentially through through an elliptical an elliptical stair that stair wraps that wraps aroundaround it. this it. this re-orientates re-orientates the body the abody full turn a fullduring turn during each pass each and passone and one is explored beyond visual therefore therefore accesses accesses the room the through room through the same the same orientation orientation each time, eachcreating time, creating the impression the impression that not that only notallonly rooms all rooms are are obscurity.

Hiddenness thus equal equal but thebut passage the passage between between them are themasare well. as this well.thus this thus forms forms the premise premise for intervention; for intervention; exploiting exploiting the notion the notion of of resides inthe cognition, orisstair the lack sequential sequential conditioning, conditioning, the elliptical the elliptical stair used isas used an armaas an armature toture create to create a disjuncture a disjuncture between between one's subjective one's subjective mapping mapping of the building of the building and his/her and his/her actual actual movement movement through through it. it. thereof, and what is experienced further to further mask this mask agenda, this agenda, a decoy is employed is employed in the form in theofform of as tothefour rooms isa decoy inbifurcation reality revelation the revelation of an unexpected of an unexpected bifurcation during during the return the return circulatory circulatory path. this path. very thispleasure very pleasure of discovery of discovery evokesevokes a sense a sense five.

Exploiting notion of being of one being step onecloser step closer to thethe truth, to thebut truth, is in but reality is in reality a of step aback. step back. the notion the notion of hiddenness ofconditioning, hiddenness is thusisrealised thus realised in bothin physical both physical and and sequential the metaphysical metaphysical realmsrealms within within the sequential the sequential programming programming of the of the building; building; the former the former is revealed is revealed sensorially, sensorially, but thebut latter, the iflatter, ever if ever elliptical stair asin cognition. ancognition. disclosed, disclosed, exists only existsasonly ais disruption asused a disruption in one’s one’s armature to create a disjuncture sean chia/studio sean chia/studio buchard buchard between one’s subjective mapping of the building and his/ her actual movement through it.

The notion of hiddenness is thus played out in both physical and metaphysical realms within the sequential programming of the building; the former is revealed sensorially, but the latter, if ever disclosed, exists only as a disruption in one’s cognition.

perceived vs. actual circulation

physical model (s: 3/32” = 1’) 38

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Six Projects

Study models exploring the notion of hiddenness.

2.1 “blindspot”

Identical circular rooms linked with curvilinear stairways obfuscates one’s circulatory perception of the building.

2.2 “blindspot stacked”

2.3 “lazy L”

2.4 “diamond void”

2.5 “guggen-toilet roll”

2.6 “owl”

2.7 “oblong lozenge”

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torqued ellipses

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Organized in a vertical series, each room is experienced sequentially through an elliptical stair that wraps around the room and re-orientates the body a full turn during each pass.

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a a 1/6" = 1' 1/6" = 1'

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Six Projects

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schematic model (s: 3/32� = 1’) 42

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Sean Chia

Six Projects

06 brewtown manhattan

Apartment complex + brewery hybrid Core IV, Harvard GSD Studio Critic: Renata Sentkiewicz

In this housing project, gardens are replaced with beer gardens.

The ambition was simple - to capture the flavour of Manhattan in a beer. Since the flavour of a beer is inextricably linked to the ingredients that are used, the industrial process of beer brewing is brought into the heart of Manhattan. Not only is the process transplanted from the suburban to the urban, but our very site is used to produce the following major ingredients: water, malted barley, and hops.

Much of New York City’s richness derives from its layering of dynamic, paradoxical elements. When thoughtfully combined, seemingly incompatible programs and morphologies can generate unexpected urban synergies.

The project thus focuses on the generative tensions produced when merging an industrial process with urban housing.

the brewtown 44

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Six Projects

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Beer brewed on-site forms the lifeblood of social condensers: bars, pubs, and beer gardens.

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B1. Malt silos B2. Mash tun B3. Lauter tun B4. Wort tun B5. Whirlpool B6. Wort chiller B7. Fermenting tanks B8. Bright tanks B9. Filter B10. Racking + bottling B11. Storage B12. Shipping

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W1. Primary sedimentation tank W2. Fine screening W3. Storage

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250 bbl/batch x 4 batches/day = 1,000 bbl/day

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Water: 29,000 gal Hops: 1000 sqft Yeast: 21000 lbs Malted barley: 55,000 lbs 1 Brew Day = 252,000 pints RECIPE: BREWTOWN™ IPA Makes 1 barrel (31.5 gal/252 pints)

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29 gal water 12oz hops (~1 sqft surface area) 21 lbs yeast 55 lbs malted barley

Sean Chia

Six Projects

1. typical manhattan block

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3. staggered streets: creation of a centre, a sense of intrigue, as well as a refuge from the wind in winter

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6. to see andincubator be seen: for the social perfectintercourse incubator for social intercourse

5. room-sized outdoors: positive, defined interstitials manifested in both plan and section 0 500 100

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4. activity pockets: further articulation of the public realm

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right: floor plan (+170 ft) brewery and housing components 48

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Sean Chia

Six Projects

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section

Sean Chia

between the folds Surface discretization Fall 2013, Harvard GSD Instructor: Cameron Wu

Other Projects

In discretizing a form that is made up of both developable and non-developable surfaces, the challenge is twofold: first, to design and extract particular sets of iso-curve fields from the surfaces, equally or unequally arrayed, in order to panelize the curved surface; and second, to resolve the intersection between the panelized patches as consistently and elegantly as possible.

A torus and a hyperboloid are intersected to form a hybrid solid, and the developed planarquadrilateral mesh from the latter is used to govern the formation of the mesh on the former. Triangle panels are then discreetly introduced to ‘stitch’ the discrepancies that occur at the seam.

physical model

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Sean Chia

20x60x3000

Bamboo construction

Other Projects

Through exhaustive optical and material experimentation in this project, bamboo was pushed to its peformative limits.

Fall 2009, National University of Singapore A rigourous study of optical Instructor: Erik G. L’Heureux art, tessellating systems and the ruled surface framed an understanding of the geometrical propensities of the material in its natural form.

Deception through tectonics, a sensibility derived from the studies, resulted in the eventual manifestation of the structure and its construction.

joinery detail

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Sean Chia

acknowledgements

Six Projects

2015

brewtown manhattan Core IV, Harvard GSD

Instructor: Renata Sentkiewicz (Design Critic in Architecture, GSD and Principal Abalos+Sentkiewicz Arquitectos) Collaborators: Johanna Faust, Duan Ni, Lilian Taylor Studio: Maria Carriero, Ruth Chang, Su Chang, Jason Kim, Patrick Mckinley, Maia Peck, Gui Yun

2013

calibrated porosities monumental entropy hidden room Core I, Harvard GSD

Instructor: Jeffry Burchard (Design Critic in Architecture, GSD and Associate, Machado and Silvetti Associates) Studio: Maria Carriero, Christian Gonzalez, Jia Gu, Yun Gui, David Hamm, Sarah Kantrowitz, Dasha Mikic, Kimberly Orrego, Blair Storie Johnson, Bryan Yang

2014

miami mixer

Core III, Harvard GSD

between the folds

Fall 2013, Harvard GSD

Instructor: Maryann Thompson (Professor in Practice of Architecture, GSD and Principal, Maryann Thompson Architects) Instructor: Cameron Wu Teaching Assistants: Michael Burton, Iman Fayyad, Joan Tom Studio: Cari Alcombright, Ruth Chang, Gui Yun, Spencer Hayden, Patrick Mckinley, Tom McMurtrie, James Murray, Annie Schneider, Tian Xuezhu, Enoch Wong

2009

20x60x3000 park-in-a-park

Core II, Harvard GSD Instructor: Elizabeth Whittaker (Assistant Professor in Practice of Architecture and Principal, Merge Architects)

Fall 2009, National University of Singapore Instructor: Erik L’Heureux (Assistant Professor, NUS and Principal, Pencil Office)

Studio: Chan Soon Ming, Germaine Kang, Khoo Shan Hu, Lin Yuxuan, Linda Yuliani, Fauzy Ismail, Nathawut Tangjitpeanshoke, Peter Then, Vedika Saxena, Studio: Nastaran Arfaei, Guzman Fabiola, Evan Farley, Johanna Faust, Gu Jia, Anna Jessica Wee, Eunice Zhuang Hermann, Chase Jordan, Marcus Mello, Maia Peck, Zhang Guowei

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2015-05