Timothy Zhang | Architecture Portfolio | 2024

TIMOTHY ZHANG architecture

portfolio

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2024

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selected

works

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“Taking responsibility means that in the face of barriers, we still have the capacity to invent our lives, to shape our destinies in ways that maximize our well-being” - bell hooks Timothy Zhang is a fifth-year Bachelor of Architecture student at Iowa State University pursuing a minor in Urban Studies. Tim is dedicated to sustainability and incorporating eco-conscious practices into his designs.

He also strongly emphasizes accessibility and universal design in the built environment. Outside of academic work, Timothy is actively involved in various organizations, working to promote diversity and equity in architecture.

Timothy approaches design with the bell hook’s definition of responsibility in mind. This selection of works seeks to create built environments that are sustainable and pragmatic while considering the community’s needs and the impact of their designs on the environment.

CONTENTS Ecologies of a Post-Colonial Future Caribbean World of Future Events

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Wick Water-Positive Conservatory

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Graft Cultural Center and Memorial

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Bright Block Concrete Masonry Unit

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Retrouvailles Mausoleum and Cemetery

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Resume

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ECOLOGIES of a POST-COLONIAL FUTURE A Caribbean World of Future Events

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In the postcolonial future of Earth, a profound transformation had occurred.

The animals, plants, mountains, and rivers had regained personhood, forming a vibrant and interconnected world of their own. They named this realm Island of Boriken, once known as Puerto Rico, a sanctuary free from the relentless grasp of environmental degradation and capitalist exploitation.The Great Awakening, as it came to be known, had its origins in the remnants of an era where humans dominated the planet. As the last echoes of industrialization and colonialism faded, the Earth itself seemed to rebel against

the destructive forces that had once threatened its very existence. After this awakening, the once oppressed entities found themselves imbued with self awareness and a collective consciousness.

Architecture was a collaborative expression of gratitude and respect for the Earth. It reflected the understanding that every structure, like every being, played a role in the intricate tapestry of life. Sentient entities coexisted with the land, embodying the true spirit of unity and sustainability.

Fall 2023 - Spring 2024

Instructors | Cruz Garcia + Nathalie Frankowski

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Once upon a mountain, where the air was crisp and the snow sparkled like diamonds, humans sought riches.

Greedy for resources, they carved into the mountainsides, extracting minerals and leaving scars on the once pristine landscapes.

The mountains wept as their peaks were stripped bare, forever changed by the relentless pursuit of wealth.

In the heart of the land, rivers and lakes once teemed with life.

But the arrival of colonial powers brought a wave of exploitation. Ships sailed across oceans, carrying away treasures and leaving behind pollution.

Factories lined the shores, dumping waste into the once clear waters.

Fish, turtles, dolphins, and manatees cried out as their homes became toxic and lifeless.

Deep in the heart of lush forests, animals roamed freely among ancient trees. Then came the era of industrialization, and the sound of saws echoed through the woods.

Trees, some older than time itself, fell to the ground, making way for factories and progress.

The animals watched in horror as their homes disappeared, and the once vibrant forests dwindled into silent groves.

The ripple effect of this extraction touched every corner of the Earth. Local plants, animals, and humans felt the impact. The once thriving biodiversity began to wane as habitats were altered, making survival a daily challenge for those who called these places home.

As the chapters unfolded, a lesson emerged the importance of understanding the delicate balance of nature. Humans, in their quest for novelty, had unknowingly disrupted ecosystems far and wide.

But just as the story of destruction had been written, so too could the story of redemption.

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In a distant future, the Earth had undergone a profound transformation. The once exploited landscapes and creatures, weary of human dominance, experienced an awakening of sentience. Mountains, rivers, plants, and animals rediscovered a newfound consciousness, each with a unique personhood.

As the rivers flowed and the mountains stood tall, they communicated with one another through vibrations and whispers on the wind. The flora and fauna developed a shared language, fostering a deep connection that transcended the physical realm.

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In a land where magic and wonder intertwined, monuments of great significance emerged, embodying the spirit of the Earth's diverse creatures.

One by one, these enchanting statues appeared, rising from the very essence of the landscape.

Nearby, the Chicken Monument, a majestic sculpture stands in honor of the pride, resilience, and spirit of the people. It embodied the symbiotic relationship between humans and animals, showcasing the humble yet industrious nature of the chicken and the heartbeat of the land.

The Coqui Monument, a symbol of Puerto Rican nights, stood proudly, its tiny frame resonating with the soothing melody that echoed through the forests. Those who approached felt the enchantment of the island's vibrant nocturnal chorus, a tribute to the resilient spirit of the coqui.

As the magic unfurled, the Horse Monument galloped into existence, a tribute to the hardworking steeds that once plowed fields and transported people across the terrain. With a regal presence, it stood as a testament to the companionship between humans and horses, a bond forged through generations.

The Puerto Rican Parrot Monument, adorned with vibrant hues and wings outstretched, celebrated the resilience of this endangered species. Its creation echoed the collective desire to protect and preserve the unique biodiversity that painted the island with a kaleidoscope of colors.

And then, in a field of dreams, the Pig Monument emerged with a touch of whimsy. A symbol of abundance, community, and the joy of shared feasts, the pig embodied the spirit of celebration and the importance of sustainable practices.

They served as reminders of the interconnectedness between humans and the diverse creatures that shared the island.

Communities gathered around these monuments, celebrating the richness of their cultural and natural heritage. The monuments, with their mystical aura, stood as guardians of the land, uniting the people in a shared commitment to sustainability and appreciation for the unique identity of each creature.

And so, in this enchanted realm, the monuments became not only symbols of local animals but also catalysts for a harmonious coexistence between humans and the diverse inhabitants of the Earth.

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WICK DLR Group Competition | Winner Water is the impulse of every ecosystem and essential to the flow of energy on the planet. Its importance is proven in places such as Iowa, where agriculture thrives. However, its destructive power and contrasting lack of water can wreak havoc on both natural and human rhythms.

Across the globe, communities and ecosystems are suffering from the effects of water scarcity, and as populations grow in these areas, so does the need to shelter them.WICK proposes to protect and improve our waterscapes both locally and globally, as a center to showcase and develop

Partner | Kyle Guenther

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strategies to generate, conserve, and manage water in new ways. Rather than blocking the flow, WICK hovers above the landscape on dual cores, straddling natural drainage routes.

Inside, collected water is used in the toilets and conditioning system, while some are purified for consumption and in-house hydrology research purposes. Additional water is extracted from the air via exterior fog collecting mesh baffles and micro ridges on the surface of the ETFE facade, capable of collecting additional water in humidity and fog events.

Fall 2022

Instructor | Ayodele Iyanalu

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Site Map | Ames, Iowa | Lincoln Ave. + North Dakota Ave.

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Upper F loor Plan 1 BIORETENTION CELL

3 WOODLAND PATHS

Runoff from surrounding impervious surfaces collects in a pond where aquatic species and understory plant life filter pollutants before returning to groundwater and streams

2 OBSERVABLE MEP SYSTEMS

hydronic heating and cooling equipment including chillers and boilers are viewable to the public for better understanding of water-based themal comfort systems

Permeable paver paths connect existing neighborhoods and cycle paths throughout the site, bringing visitors through existing woodlands towards the center

4 VERTICAL CIRCULATION

Egress stairwells and elevator shafts connect the forest floor to the upper level while also concealing structural supports, mechanical systems, and back of house areas

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4 2 1

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LOWER FLOOR PLAN

Lower F loor Plan

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0’ 6’

12’

25’

50’

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Longitudinal Section A | The vertical connections between the program spaces are seen with the elevated auditorium space viewing the outdoor areas and conservatory spaces beyond. Rooftop connections to the east bring the public to the treetops where water collection and infiltration manages rooftop runoff.

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0’ 6’

12’

25’

50’

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Physical Section Model | The double skinned facade wrapping the superstructure consists of a high perfor mance inner glazing system, coupled with transparent ETFE balloons with the water collection properties. In the voided volume beneath the mass, exploration boardwalks hover above native plantings of moss, under story shrubs, and native grasses.

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GRAFT BGL Student Design Competition Graft is a proposal for a creative campus to reinvigorate a lively atmosphere where all are welcome to create. By bringing together elements of living, play, work, and leisure through creativity, we see how Albinas rich mosaic can reestablish itself into the cultural fabric of Portland. Despite the citys progressive nature, marginalized groups have been systematically outcast and disenfranchised from participating in this active discourse.

Albina is evidence of this as Black people are continually undermined by unjust social and political policies that both displace and restrict this group

Partners | Andrea Muchori, Jamileth Sarceno, Juan Argueta, Nick Cheung, Sophia Maguina

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from claiming agency to express themselves freely as so many others have come to Portland to participate in. This proposal aims to lay the foundation for the reclamation of space for the black community. A connected covered space provides a place for the project to graft onto itself. These various elements are interwoven to create a rich synergy of activities. By relinquishing ownership of the site back to its rightful users, the Albina community is empowered to flourish and breathe life back into their community.

Fall 2023

Instructor | Ayodele Iyanalu

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Site Map | Portland, Oregon | Albina

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Ground Level

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Local Market

Affordable Rental Units

Rooftop Garden

Test Kitchen

Outdoor Dining

Daycare

Creative Maker Space

Public Library

Affordable Studios

Emerging Black Creatives Exhibitions

Business Incubator

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Black Owned

Local Black Owned Businesses

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BRIGHT BLOCK Masonry Institute of Iowa Unit Design Competition | Winner Through this project we wanted to focus on providing light to outdoor spaces with a concrete masonry unit.

Hardscape and concrete masonry components are widely available but rarely used in design projects.

This product is a tough material that may be used to support weight, seal off space, and carry out a number of tasks in structures and the built environment. The materials texture, color, form, and size may all be altered because it is a produced product.

Concrete masonry and hardscaping goods come in a wide range, and new ones can be suggested. The brick

Partners | Hunter Pifer + Nicole Friedman

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would be for outdoor landscaping while also preventing the need for extra lights like garden lights. The brick also allows for these to be placed anywhere which we provide with the solar power lights that can be installed within the bricks. The angle of the brick allows for diffusion of the light as it comes out the bottom creating a homogeneous glow from inside the brick and out. The angle also gives the facade a more unique aesthetic. This 78 degree angle allows for more bricks in the mold creating an efficient use of the mold box.

Fall 2023

Instructor | Bosuk Hur

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Facade | Evening Lighting Options - A

Facade | Evening Lighting Options - B

Facade | Evening Lighting Options - C 35

RETROUVAILLES Richard F. Hansen Student Prize | Winner

Rooted in the word retrouver,meaning to find something again. Retrovailles is a French word that roughly translates to reunion, but has a deeper meaning about a moment that is not bound by the limitations of the linear progression of time. The emotion is described as a moment that feels like an eternity and a brief moment at the same time. The weight and gravity of the intersection of the two experiences and the sort of final reunion of life and death that will last only a moment but live on for eternity. Encapsulating a sense of

Partners: Ben Lyons + Saad Ouazanni Taibi

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fulfillment, the revival of the past into the present, and a sense of longing and nostalgia that has been properly gratified. The project consists of a nondenominational mausoleum and crematorium for a small, private college in northern Minnesota. Between Lake Sagatagan and Stump Lake outside of St.Cloud, the land is near to an existing university cemetery. The buildings interaction with the landscape and site will be crucial, and one of the projects main themes.

Fall 2021

Instructors: Nick Lindsley + Nathan Griffith

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Site Map | Stump Lake + St. Johns University + Lake Sagatagan

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Site Model

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Lower F loor Plan

Upper F loor Plan 44

Upper F loor Section | C

Mausoleum Section | B 45

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TIMOTHY ZHANG issuu.com/tjzhang

08. 2019 - Present

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tjzhang.arch@gmail.com

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+1.608.514.6012

E D U CAT I O N

AWA R DS

Iowa State University, College of Design | Ames, Iowa

Design United Award | 2023

Bachelor of Architecture + Urban Studies Minor 01. 2023 - 05.2023

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College of Design, Rome Program | Rome, Italy

Shadowship Program | New York, New York

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06. 2023 - 08. 2023

Engaged with the day-to-day workflow of various employees and sectors. Discussed with interdisciplinary fields within architecture such as computational design, urban design, sustainability, etc.

Visited SOM Legacy projects, e.g. Waldorf Astoria. Experienced wide array of tools and software required for best practice. Educated on the company Employee Resources Groups.

Unit Design Competition | 2022 Winner | “Bright Block” Dean’s and Honors List | 2019 - Present Lyle E. and Anna M. Lightfoot Scholar | 2022-23

DLR Group

Arvid and Gayle Osterberg Scholarship | 2022

Architectural Designer Intern | New York, New York

W. Stanton Deming Minority Scholarship | 2022

+ + +

05. 2022 - 08. 2022

Jack Trice Character Award | 2023

Richard F. Hansen Student Prize | 2022 Winner | “Retrouvailles”

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) +

R ECO G N I T I O N

DLR Group Competition | 2022 Winner | “Wick”

E X P E R I E N C E 01. 2024 - 01.2024

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Designed renders, drawings, and diagrammatic representations for various projects within the Cultural and Performing Arts sector.

Built 3-D models, physically and digitally to assist in multiple bids.

Participated in the EPX Program and learned about the design process, disciplines, or business units within the firm.

INVISION Planning | Architecture | Interiors Architecture Intern | Des Moines, Iowa + +

Worked on various types of projects, including clinics, schools, data collection, detail drawings, corporate industrial buildings, and parks.

Developed visualization skills and accentuating the most key points of projects to be submitted to be judged for awards.

Studies in Creativity Award | 2021 John Locke Scholarship Award | 2021 Making Architecture Coursera Certificate | 2020 Adventure Award | 2020 West Lions Club Scholarship | 2019 Eagle Scout | 2019

S K I L L S I N VO LV E M E N T 09. 2019 - Present

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L E A D E R S H I P

National Organization of Minority Architecture Students Co-President | Iowa State University + +

08. 2020 - Present

Promoting diversity and equity in the field of architecture by planning professional development events as part of the executive board.

Attended NOMAS National conference to cultivate inclusive practices.

Datum | Student Journal of Architecture Public Relations Chair | Iowa State University +

01. 2020 - Present

A collection of digital and physical architectural pieces and articles interested with the intersections between architecture and various social and theoretical phenomenon.

BUILD Mentor Program + Learning Community Peer Mentor | Iowa State University +

01. 2021 - 07.2021

Creating events to help students academically and socially as they transition into college. Supporting first-year multicultural students transition into their design programs through 1-on-1 mentorship.

Ames Black Lives Matter Graphic Designer | Ames, Iowa

01. 2022 - 04.2022

The Fashion Show Set Designer | Iowa State University

Digital

Analog

Languages

Adobe CC Photoshop Illustrator Revit Rhino AutoCAD Enscape Lumion

Laser Cutting Acrylic Oil Watercolor Graphite Charcoal Ceramics

English Chinese (Mandarin)

R E F E R EN C E S Ayodele Iyanalu Associate Teaching Professor | Iowa State University aiyanalu@iastate.edu

Bosuk Hur Associate Teaching Professor | Iowa State University Design Principal | Folio bhur@iastate.edu | 857.756.4345

Shannon Swift Associate, Architect | INVISION shannons@invisionarch.com | 515.657.4718

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