Shelly Zhu Portfolio

SHELLY ZHU PORTFOLIO

“Design cannot save the world but it can make the world worth saving.�

- Lou Dorfsman

Design is a process.

I have known since I was only five years old that I am going to be a designer. I believe that everyone has an opportunity to discover their path in this world, and once you do, there’s no looking back. However, realizing your path is something that happens to you and something that you decide upon. In my first year of school, I had a single moment of doubt, and it was then and there that I had to decide whether or not I could make the long term commitment to tedious work, or if I needed to find another path and give up on my dream.

I see architecture, interior design, and urban design as practical forms of a fine art in this ongoing process of discovery. This discovering not only teaches me about my path towards good design, but about myself and how my place in society is reflected in the way that I see, think, and feel about my physical environment. I find myself constantly drawing upon the wealth of my obeservations: my time abroad in Italy for example, traveling through numerous cities and towns understanding urban and cultural patterns, and China, where I have come to have an even deeper appreciation for the arts and my heritage.

While I knew that over the course of my path towards becoming a designer there may be people more talented than myself, however, I would never let anyone work harder than me. Of course the work is difficult, wearisome, and frustrating, and sometimes the end is impossible to imagine. But knowing I’m pursing my dream with everything I have in me is the greatest fulfillment I have.

As part of my education, and a personal philosophy, I believe you get out of something what you put in. Though I am not always sure which direction my path is taking me, I will continue running down it, no looking back.

SELECTED WORKS

>>reinvigorating Philadelphia’s first suburbs

Planning Workshop As part of a broader analysis of Philadelphia’s first suburban communities, The University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design is undertaking an analytical review and planning process for Woodbury, New Jersey. The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) commissioned this study, in conjunction with several others for similar geographic areas, in the Fall of 2012.

As part of the first year City Planning Studio, this plan was completed in Spring 2013 in cooperation with the City of Woodbury and its residents.

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Camden

Philadelphia

676

76 95 WARE RIVE R A L DE

295

WOODBURY 45

GLOUCESTER COUNTY

WOODBURY, NJ

12000

45 Founded

Incorporated

1683

1871 1940

2010 total population

10,174

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2010

17 municipal parks 11%

54 acres of water

160 acres of green space

Top Employing Industries

Health Services

Retail

FIRE

28.1%

13.2%

10.4%

SSB OR GLA

NJ

TR AN

SIT

BU

O-C AM DEN

RAI

L

SR OU

TE

S

Red Bank Avenue Rail Station (proposed)

Woodbury Rail Station (proposed)

7.2%

9.6%

4.9%

1.9%

3.4%

6.9%

WOODBURY MODE SHARE

GLASSBORO MODE SHARE

84.5%

81.6%

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Burlington Co. 6.5% 701 Burlington Co. 8.9% 386 Philadelphia Co. 9.9% 429

Gloucester Co. 31.9% 1390 Delaware Co. 2.9% 125

Camden Co. 19.3% 2080 Camden Co. WOODBURY 18.3% 4.9% 796

527

Salem Co. 2.6% 275

Gloucester Co. 47.8% 5146

20 miles

Atlantic Co. 2.3% 102

30 miles

40 miles

10.0%

16.8%

2.9%

HADDONFIELD MODE SHARE 70.3%

Car, truck, or van-- drove alone Car, truck, or van Public Transportation Other

>>an industrial to mixed-use conversion

Norman Grain Silos Grain silos are everywhere and as urbanization continues apace there are more and more of them that go unused.

These leftover structures offer a wealth of unused and open but sturdily supported interior space that can be adaptively reused in creative ways. Some people have turned grain silos into homes while other have figured out that a grain silo hotel is a marketable commodity.

Meander north on James Garner Avenue, cross over West Acres Street north of Well Andrews Park and there it stands: a historic piece of the city of Norman’s cultural roots. Strategically positioned west of the railroad tracks sits a currently abandoned grain silo; its massive pure geometric forms tower above the local surrounding neighborhoods. Once the hub of Norman, Oklahoma’s agricultural center, it now sits silent upon the land. A white elephant? Perhaps, in the eyes of some. Perhaps, a potential community jewel to others. A white elephant is defined as an idiom for a valuable possession of which its owner cannot dispose and whose cost (particularly cost of upkeep) is out of proportion to its usefulness or worth.”

These existing structures decorate the land across many states and potentially become community eyesores and often times lend themselves to places of derelict actions by individuals. The question becomes, what are we to do with these once vibrant pieces of industrial architecture?

Can these structures lend themselves to the three R’s of sustainability: reduce, reuse, and recycle? New federal and state government green initiatives place a call of action to architects, designers, owners, and builders to think how we building and what we can do as a collective society to be mindful of our design and building initiatives. Can these structures qualify for this initiative? Often times these facilities are positioned close to major railroads tying multiple states together. Can we revive these structures to become interesting destination focal points?

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PROJECT FRAMEWORK PHASE 1 Neighborhood Core + Residential Density > Mixed use > Unique + affordable residential > Grocery Anchor > Community facility: Gold’s Gym > Convenient access for surrounding neighborhood

PHASE 2 Transit Hub > Intermodal station for convenient access to downtown OKC (CART + Light Rail) for both future and current neighborhood residentss

PHASE 3 Commercial Fill-In > Local start-ups > Unique retail at development > Fill-in in existing commericial district (Main Street Norman) > Requires rezoning per Norman 2025

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The Silos: A new icon for Norman

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TOD AND LIGHT RAIL STATION IDENTIFICATION

Edmond !

The Village !

Bethany !

Oklahoma City

Midwest City

!

!

Moore

!

Norman

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Mutli-Criteria Evaluation (Weighted)

Multi-Criteria Evaluation (Weighted) TOD Potential

Low Low

TOD Potential

High High

-3 mile radius buffer 1-3 mile radius buffer Walkability

Criteria

Residential Density Commercial Density Walkability Population Aged 15-24 Residential Household Density Income <$40,000 Low Density Density Housing Commercial

Single-Detached House Population AgedSingle-Attached 15-24 House Apartment, Duplex Household Income <$40,000 Low Density Housing Single-Detached House Single-Attached House Apartment, Duplex

(40%) (30%) (15%) (15%)

(

( ( (

n, OK

posal

n, OK

lo Site

Commercial Industrial Institution Open Space Residential

Land uses within 1/2 mile radius that support TOD development:

- proximity to commercial corridor - relationship to existing neighborhood framework Commercial - relationship to existing public transit services

Legend

Industrial

Institution

>>knitting society together

Dream Course Sponsored by the University of Oklahoma School of Art and Art History and the College of Architecture, “Knitting Society Together” was a Presidential Dream Course concentrating on urban design and revitalization.

However, the class was more than a textbook study of the particulars of city planning. Both interactive and interdisciplinary, it was an exercise in synergy and innovation with the goal of improving the city of Norman through community fostering design interventions.

The class was composed of 9 students and 3 professors, from the respective fields of Architecture, Interior Design, and Graphic Design. Drawing from these different, yet overlapping concentrations, the semester began by exploring different potentials for community development.

The class took a field trip to Houston and Dallas in order to observe recent community interventions, including Discovery Greens, the Office of James Burnett, Rice University, and Woodall Rogers Park in Dallas. Each experience reinforced the importance of the class objective: preserving culture, identity, and geographies of communities through rethinking, reusing, and revitalizing urban spaces.

Through the generosity of the University, the class had the distinct pleasure of hosting lectures and forums by acclaimed professionals working in the fields of community design, art, and architecture. Guests included wayfinding expert Kelly Kolar, Landscape Architect Warren T. Byrd, Architect Philip Durham, internationally renowned conceptual artist Mel Chin, Bennet Peji, and visual artist Kianga Ford.

In addition to the trip and lecture series, several weeks of class was spent researching our own community, and how community-fostering design might be applied here, in our own backyard. Each week, we would take turns preparing and presenting over topics like history, demographics, the stakeholders, branding and wayfinding, the impact of public art, and most importantly, how we might foster a sense of empathy and unity in Norman through the establishment of literal “common ground.” From these factors, a story was developed for our designs to convey. It is both a story about Norman’s past, and most importantly, its future.

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ET

TRE

NS MAI

The Grove

The Station

The Circle

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WAYFINDING & SIGNAGE SYSTEMS A clean, effective wayfinding system is one of the most important and necessary applications of branding for the intervention. A series of posts that reference existing signal structures near the train crossings were designed. The posts are important for both navigating the district as well as Norman itself, and help to encourage a more cohesive relationship between campus and downtonw, and certainly benefit first-time users, therefore improving the potential for tourism.

The signage system also includes pedestrian stations, which will be helpful for people walking from node to node. Both solutions draw from a defined color palatte as well as abstracted references to train signal vernacular, in form or fabrication. The wayfinding system will serve as an open template, so that the edition of future nodes in later development phases can be easily incorporated into the prexisting systems.

THE CIRCLE Architect: Adelle York Interior Designer: Shelly Zhu Graphic Designer: Chad Phillips

Site Plan

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The Circle enables the future development of James Garner into an axis that connects the University and downtown Norman. As the most viable option for a north-south connection, James Garner/Jenkins has incredible potential to create a physical and symbolic relationship between city and campus life. We propose this is done with a mixed-use, walkable development.

By moving the stretch of James Garner from Apache to Main Street forty feet to the southwest, we create enough room east of the road for two-story buildings, a road with parallel parking on both sides, and wide sidewalks hugging the ground-floor retail. The traffic circle proposed at Apache is located to maximize the connections between Normanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existing assets. With Legacy Trail to the East and Campus corner to the West, the traffic circle will create a secondary axis and a strong connection for neighborhoods northeast of campus.

We propose a simple code: minimum street width, regular tree spacing, a set awning depth and building height. This sustainable model will allow for flexibility in programmed space and offer a unity and intimacy for the potential development.

>>exploring shape grammar through musical inspiration

Shanghai Museum of Music This project was a study exploring the concepts of shape grammar and form in the context of a museum. The task was to select a site anywhere in the world, decide upon what the museum would display and come up with study models that emphasized the relationships between three different floods, and how circulation patterns often affect the form of the interior. While traditionally we are faced with designing an interior from a provided core and shell, in this projeect, the exterior was designed based on interior choices. Key issues that were focused on included transition between exterior and interior spaces and how they relate, as well as how to define a personsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience from within a building. The solution is having a building become part of the exterior circulation patterns. The first floor is essentially two parts that create a walkway through the building. This allows patrons to approach the building from several different locations, thereby encouraging complete interaction between the site and the building itsef. Furthermore, exterior spaces compliment this interaction, as seen in a second story rooftop cafe that can be accessed from both within the building as well as directly from outdoors. Lastly, my passion for music was the driving inspiration that helped define various elements of the musemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s volumetric design.

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“Shanghai is a city of vibrant neighborhoods. As it positions itself for a future of rich opportunities, it is redefining the way community happens.”

Site Feasibility Study Location | The museum is located in People’s Square in downton Shanghai, China. The site is in the middle of the arts district, surrounded by a large opera and performance hall, several museums, and art galleries in the area, offering other activities for guests who would like to combine their museum experience with other recreational opportunities. People’s Square is also located on top of the central subway station where every subway line that runs through Shanghai meets, making it extremely convenient for tourists and even locals who take the subway to reach. Major bus lines also stop at People’s square, and is an easy place to catch a taxi.

Setting | People’s Square is not located in what would consider a “traditional” Chinese setting; the architecture surrounding the site is very modern and unique. Also, within walking distance, one would reach the Outer Bund which outlines the bank of the Huang Pu River where and where the landmark buildings of old, European Shanghai are, making the site chosen ideal for a mix between cultures.

Fast Growing | The Shanghai metropolitan area has more than nineteen million people, and is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world.

Popular Tourist Destination | Some 131 million tourists visited China in 2007, with total spending of over $160 billion US dollars. The wide range of attractions include The Bund, NanJing Road, Cheng Huang Miao, and PuDong.

Shanghai’s PuDong International Airport is currently the busiest Chinese airport in terms of total passengers handled, with 17,518,790 international passengers handled in 2007, and over 1,000 flights a day.

Appealing Climate | Shanghai experiences on average 1,878 hours of sunshine per year and an average annual daytime temperature of around 76 F. The average number of rainy days is 112 per year, with the wettest month being June.

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Musical Elements

Design Translation

>inflection >melody >crescendo >whimsical >tempo >stacatto >pitch

>accents, asymmetry >organic lines, movement >height and depth, thick and thin >organic, playful, delicate >emphasis >repitition >bold, rich elements

>>a collaborative research project with Texas A&M and Southeast University architecture

PuYang Eye Hospital Puyang, China is in need of an Eye Hospital. The idea consists of a place that encourages both good eye health, provides medical services to the community, and helps create an all service hospital with all services, while maintaining the professional appearance of a hospital. Many spaces will be multifunctional with the hopes that the community will feel encouraged to become comfortable within the hospital. The reception/lobby will not only serve as a place to sit and wait, but will house a cafe, waiting areas, a retail shop, and its own information library. The building will contain LASIK procedure equipment that will be accessible to the patients from the community. Also included are patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rooms where examination and diagnosis will take place.

To provide for a healthier and happier environment, natural lighting will be used throughout the space.

All of the areas are geared toward calm and relaxing environments, since hospitals are often stress inducing. The goal is for all patients to be able to come and be able to do everything in one place. By having exam rooms, LASIK, and a pharmacy all in one place, patients will be able to take care of all their needs and not have to go to multiple places.

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>>exercises in place-making and urban accupuncture in Norman, Oklahoma

Public Space, Public Life Within the University of Oklahoma College of Architecture, the Intitute for Quality Communities is a forum for researchers, students, and Oklahoma community leaders to collaborate in an effort to enhance Oklahoma communities. The Institute provides assistance and expertise on the forces of community growth and decline with a specific focus on improving the practice of community planning, design and governance.

As part of the IQC’s first academic course offered in Spring 2012, I was part of a team that worked on a pilot project modeled after Jan Gehl’s work on public space and public life, for the city of Norman. The team studied the city through the framework of demographics, transportation, mobility, sustainablity, identity, etc., and through a set methodology prescribed by Gehl, produced a “Community Report Card” at the end of the semester.

Additionally, a one day design charette modeled after The Better Block organization (betterblock.org) was held, and transformed an alley on the university’s campus that demonstrated how the public can actively engage in the transformation of public space and public life in the University of Oklahoma and Norman community.

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LIGHTING ANALYSIS

G

B

G

B

University Blvd.

Nightlife in Norman is concentrated on Campus Corner and downtown area. In general, street lighting in Norman is directed towards the roads. Only the campus corner district and E. Main Street have dedicated pedestrian lighting.

It is essential to have sufficient lighting on the traveling between parking and destination in order to avoid a sense of insecurity. Sufficient lighting is measured by using light meter to determine if the area reach minimum requirement of standard luminance. Although the majority activities in downtown Norman are located on E. Main Street, it is essential to provide more lighting on Gray and Comanche Street for both safety issues and future expansion.

STANDARD ILLUMINANCE

.

W Boyd St.

(fc)

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Asp Ave

Pedestrian way 2.2 Bike way 2.2 Pedestrian (comm. area) 2.0 Outdoor Parking 1.2-1.6 Street w/o Pedastrain 1.0 Freeway thru comm. area 0.6-1.1 Freeway thru res. area 0.7-0.8

Good Pedastrain/Bike Way

( >2.2 fc)

Bad Pedastrain/Bike Way

( <2.2 fc)

Good Parking Space

( >1.2 fc)

Bad Parking Space

( <1.2 fc)

FACADE ANALYSIS

Transparency | Most retail stores have a fair amount of transparency due to displays. Other stores and restaurants have poor transparency.

Sinage | Sinage is prominent on awnings only visible from across the street. Sinage perpendicular to the facade is minimal. Streetlight sinage is available, but not in use.

Recessions | Recessions in the facades for display space and cafe seating make the area more interactive. Alley ways act as channels to parking and other businesses.

Engaging Faรงade Semi-Engaging Faรงade Dull Faรงade

>>the in|Between: a mini-better block project

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INTERNSHIPS

>>sustainble communities fellow for a Pennsylvania non-profit

Pennsylvania Environmental Council The Pennsylvania Environmental Council is a regional non-profit that focuses on the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s environmental wellbeing and quality of life in the areas of water resources, sustainable communities, and energy & climate.

Major projects included: > Spring Garden Street Greenway > Bensalem Greenway > Bristol Borough kayak launch point Major responsibilities included graphic production for greenway concepts to be shown at stakeholder meetings and in grant applications for trail and watershed funding, as well as coordinating and facilitating leadership and stakeholder meetings for the Spring Garden Street Greenway project.

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>>commercial interiors intern for a global Architecture, Interior, and Planning firm

Corgan Associates Corgan Associates is a large international Architecture, Interior, and Planning firm headquartered in Dallas, Tx. As the summer 2012 intern at Corgan, I worked on the commerical interiors team and closely with the corporate architecture and aviation teams.

Major projects included: > Southwest Airlines Corporate Headquarters > Cyrus One Data Center > TJX National Headquarters > Genesis Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shelter > NBC Fort Worth Studio and Offices > DFW Airport Headquarters Expansion Major responsibilites included attending weekly design meetings with Southwest Airlines facility staff for programming and planning, drafting and approving space planning standards, red-lining, and producing full construction drawings including floor plans, reflected ceiling plans, lighting and electrical, bathroom, and construction detailing for architecture, construction, and MEP review. A design-build process was implemented at my suggestion in working on Southwest Airlines, and I was essential in facilitating that process for my team by giving Revit tutorials.

Additionally, I worked on a project Corgan Interiors received pro-bono for Genisis Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shelter by completed a site survey, construction review, and new space plan proposal.

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>>store planning and design intern for a global retailer

Fossil, Inc. As the summer 2011 intern at Fossil, Inc., I worked closely with interior designers, visual artists, architects, and construction managers on both domestic and international projects ranging from 250 square feet to over 5,000 square feet. My responsibilities included the planning of each of the five different Fossil concept stores: Clothing, Accessory, Outlet, Lifestyle, and Watch Sta- tion. I drafted 2D layouts, reflected ceiling plans, preliminary design development packages, and completed numerous 3D renderings for storefronts, interiors, and custom fixtures.

Part of my responsibilities also included working on custom fixtures for several of Fossilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s licensed brands like Armani, Michael Kors, and DKNY. I was lead designer and part of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s research team to develop a concept for a temporary leather goods trade show held annually in Italy. My final design was selected for the trade show, which was held September 2011. As a Chinese-speaking intern, I was especially helpful in developing two stores located in China where I was in correspondence with the director of real- estate for Fossil Asia.

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Good design encompasses both technical and creative facets, and seeks to acheive a more holistic solution. I believe what seperates the good from the great designers is this embrace of the total process of design. Being creative by nature, yet technical in mind, I have found this process to be the perfect outlet for me as a freethinking individual. I have a strong passion for the art and discipline of design, and it is this passion which drives me to continually seek an increased knowledge of the field and the many avenues on which it can lead me-- a constant journey. This journey has led me from interior design, to architecture, to city planning and urban design.

I believe that urban design is ultimately a reflection of the total process of design. It encompasses architecture and interior design through understanding their relationship as part to whole of the bigger urban fabric, especially in the collective sense, as we as designers strugle to achieve social harmony-- always searching for a balance between our pragmatic desires for efficiency and our aesthetic drive for beauty. It is this dwelling in the process of design that will continue to propel me forward in my development, a journey I have greatly enjoyed thus far and will continue, no looking back.

Shelly L. Zhu

shellyz@design.upenn.edu www.shellyzhu.wordpress.com www.linkedin.com/in/shellylzhu www.issuu.com/shellyzhu/docs/portfolio 1600 Chestnut St. #206 Philadelphia, PA 19103 (214) 566-9284