Tongling Hu Portfolio
Selected Works: 2022 - 2025
Architectural Association hutongling92@gmail.com
Home or Insects, Furniture for Humans
iF Student Design Award Entry Group with Cholnipa Tantipanyathep Ecological City Design
Ecological Infrastructure Design
As urban expansion fragments natural habitats, pollinators are losing the spaces they need to survive. In cities such as London, pollinator populations have declined by 60% as green areas are replaced by infrastructure.
Our design proposes a piece of public infrastructure that helps repair this fragmentation by providing small habitats for insects within everyday urban space. By combining seating for people with shelter for pollinators, the project supports urban ecological health and encourages a more balanced relationship between humans and nature.
Our design uses cut-out circular forms for tables and chairs, creating modular units that can be arranged in different configurations depending on the site. The surfaces are made of cedar wood, a durable and naturally water-resistant material suitable for outdoor use and easy to maintain. The supports of the tables and chairs are constructed from timber and incorporate pipe holes with diameters between 10 mm and 20 mm.
Parametric Screen Design
This structure is designed as a shared space for people and insects. It provides shelter for pollinators while offering a place to rest, helping to reconnect small urban habitats and support the health of the city.
Festinsel (Metaverse Project)
Media Study - Datascape
Our Vision
In recent decades, music industry has grown significantly. There are more artists, genres, tastes, ideas and ways to compose.
Our project is aiming to create a digital island for new artist to reach their audiences and gain larger following in an industry that becomes more and more competitive.
Project animation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oP3itDeXFc
Purpose
Landscape would become a setting for the island. The terrain had to translate the effects present in the AI research phase, where we used canyon or desert-like terrain as a main reference. Canyon and desert terrain main features are water and air erosion, high contrast in elevation and shallow waters.
Using GAEA software, we generated a heightmap by controlling a number of modules to adjust the detail of the terrain and control the water level.
Purpose
Our meta-verse is open to everyone who is interested in music. Those who wish to visit a concert from the comfort of their home, find new genres, artists, communities and friends.
Set on the imaginary island, our meta-verse is a small and an intimate stage for new and aspiring musicians to reach wider public.
Creating a singular path meant we had control over the experience. We wanted the journey to become part of the experience. Constant transition between different stages, areas and views.
Catch the Steam
Technical Study - Third Year Site : Park West Place, London, UK
Condensation is by far the most common cause of dampness in homes. It affects both new and old properties.
The daily water vapor will invade the wooden structure, go through the attic, and damage the roof structure. Also, in wet areas, the rain and dampness from outside will cause interstitial condensation when they go inside through joint fissures.
In this technical research, I am to create a cycle of wasted water vapor to water and back to steam within site context.
VAPOUR PRODUCED (KG/DAY)
Kettle testing and driptip study
kettle as the source of wasted domestic vapor. In order to "catch" it, the shape and material choice of the roof is the key.
Studying from shape of leaves that those with narrow and thin drip tips (candate) are likely to drip more frequently than round drip tips. However, the volume of round driptip droplets is significantly bigger than narrow and sharp driptips.
Proposal
I propose capturing and reusing the water vapor normally wasted during tea making, transforming a simple domestic ritual into a community-scale communication channel.
Domestic Tea break to Communal Activity
The circle:
Liquid water - boiled by the kettle - hot water vaporcondensed to warm water - drip into mist maker - warm mist for atmospheric effect - condensed to waterdrops for handwashing and playing.
Domestic Tea break to Communal Activity
Bringing this information by designing a metal leaf roof that captures the water vapor from kettles and guides the condensation into a steam pot in the garden, forming a steam pavilion in the community garden, engaging the residents to chat and meet each other, or simply enjoying.
Ripple as an Eye (Film Project)
Intermediate 7 2024 Site : Island of Mull, Scotland
Parametric Screen Design
Using Grasshopper, I developed various screen design options for the atrium area to create a separation between the guest and facility areas. The parametric design approach allows the team to easily adjust the geometry in response to future dimensional changes.
Tell story of the Land via Underwater Landscape
Water acts as the medium through which the landscape perfumes itself, capturing both visible and invisible elements of its surroundings from light to air. It reflects the environment through the curves of the waves, showing the essence of the landscape. I propose using water as the language of the land, performing the land’s movements through time.
By designing an underwater landscape using local rocks and marble, visitors can observe the geological history through the movements of light and ripple. The site, Loch Ba, is located within the Mull Central Complex, a region shaped by three volcanic centers. These centers are like gigantic ripples that form the land with rings of magma.
Project Film
https://youtu.be/quu8qtWmTLg?si=JXtzTQKDu_ybIi5v
Underwater Landscape Design
Five views sculpted through the water and ripples tell the land's story as visitors pass by. A form of language appears when the wind drives the waves across Loch Ba.
It becomes a subtle way to build connections between humans and land without disrupting Mull’s natural environment.
King's Cross Masterplan Design
First Year Competition - Group Project
Site : King's Cross
Flooding background
We start our design with the background of flooding, creating a system that guides people from going into the area and gradually moving upward.
We isolated the whole area with canals and separated it into 10 islands, people will enter the area through bridges. As they gradually populate the area from the edge to the center, there will be cores start to be built in the highest part of each island.
Transformation Over Time
Inhabitants are guided from periphery to the highest point of the island through gradual construction of the main roads. Meanwhile, core the first tower is built. As the ground level gets denser and issue of flooding becomes more important, inhabitants are forced to start to move to the tower.
Addtional towers on top exisitng buildings are constructed over time.
Transformation Over Time
As the flooding situation becomes severe, the structure will start to build on the existing structure by adding truss units on the top and side of the tower as connection bridges for the Kingscross community.
Work Sample
Interior Design & Photography
Furniture and Lighting Renders
Software: CAD, Blender, Rhino, Figma
Device: Nikon 3500
Design Built-in Pieces for a small resturant in London
I have experiences in designing custome furniture for a small noodle place.
I have used blender and rhino as modeling and rendeirng tool. Then, I bring them to Figma to adjust the layout.
Concept and Design Statement
Alongside professional expereicne, I also work as a photoghrapher to document interesting products, art works, and spaces.
