Vanlim Ma's Work Sample

joHns HoPkins university baltimore, md

Revit

Design Architect: BIG

Architect of Record: Shepley Bulfinch

HoPkins student center

The Hopkins Student Center is a $250 million LEED Platinum Mass Timber project. With 150,000 sq. ft. and 29 roofs, the building is a social hub consisting of non-academic programs such as a large central campus living room, a variety of social spaces, community lounges, art and enrichment spaces, and dining options.

rendering by big

hsc | Roofs and EnvElopE

The project consists of 29 Dowel Laminated Timber roofs with glazing and metal panel envelope. Each roof comprised of outrigger steel beams, water and thermal proofing layers, drainage penetration, mechanical penetration, mechanical well, roof ladder, and more.

My responsibility is to study the roofs and envelope, identify, and coordinate with internal and external consultants to solve unique detail conditions while preserving the design intent.

One of the many challenges we face on the project is maintaining water and thermal proofing with the height of the outrigger beams required by the roof type and size. The trick is to meet the design intent of specified roof fascia height and clerestory curb clearance. Any new variable in roof structure requires rigorous study and problem-solving on the roof to ensure that the roof functions properly while meeting code requirement and design intent.

Roof BUIldUp and oUTRIGGER BEaM sTUdY

WATER/THERMAL PROOFING LAYERS

MECHANICAL WELL ROOF SYSTEM

EWS 03A/B - BASE CONDITION @ SCUPPER DRAIN 9

3. R-30 MIN INSULATION (FOAM GLASS AND XPS COMBINED)

4. ELECTRONIC LEAK DETECTION (ELD) SYSTEM WITH CONDUCTIVE MEDIUM BELOW MEMBRANE AS RECOMMENDED BY MEMBRANE AND ELD SYSTEM MANUFACTURERS.

5. SEE ROOF PLANS FOR EXTENT AND LOCATIONS OF FALL ARREST SYSTEM, AND LIGHTENING PROTECTION SYSTEM.

TYPICAL ROOF SYSTEM AND ROOF DRAIN (1/8" PER FOOT SLOPE)

5

On such a large-scale and complex project like this one, it is essential to build a Visual Mockup (VMU). Portions of roofs 27 and 28 were designated to be built on site. Visually, the design team and client can assess and confirm glazing and roof detail, finishes, MEP routing, and many other unresolved

rendering by big

vMu enclosure scope

A501A

4SCALEVMU EXTERIOR -DETAILS 2SCALE 3D -VMU (PARTIAL)

vMu interior scope

section details

These section details are some examples of the unique conditions we have on the project. Each detail is the result of an enormous amount of effort, design study, and coordination between the design team, MEP, Structure, Timber, and Envelope Consultants. The details establish typical and a-typical standard condition for the entire project.

ACCESS LADDER

FALL PROTECTION

LIGHTNING PROTECTION

DRAINAGE

DRAINAGE UNDER OVERHANG

DRAINAGE TO LOWER ROOF

PV PANEL

section detail | shadow box fascia

section detail | shadow box interMediate slab

leHigH university betHleHem, Pa

university center nortH PlintH feasibility study

Lehigh University’s campus sits on the north slope of a hill overlooking the town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The 19th century University Center building that sits on top of a 50 ft. slope has become a legacy image and symbol of the university over the years. The client seeks to expand the building’s program while making the new addition unobtrusive. Using the site to our advantage, the design concept is to embed the addition into the landscape with the roof to function as green space. The expanded program would be dining/event space which would be accessible from the old building and visually connected to exterior green space. My responsibility is to assist the senior Architect with design charrette and prepare the graphics for client presentations.

Rhino | AutoCAD | Illustrator

LEVEL 2

LEVEL 3

LEVEL 4

PLINTH DINING LEVEL

LOWER LEVEL + CONNECTION TO PLINTH DINING

LEVEL 1 (PLINTH ROOF)

yale new Haven HosPital greenwicH, ct

inPatient bed reallocation

The bed reallocation project is the secondto-last piece of the puzzle in a large-scale plan to increase single room capacity for YNHH Greenwich Hospital. This suite acts as a catalyst for the renovation of single rooms for that entire floor. I was involved from the Design Development to Construction Document phase. I assisted in designing the reception desk area, layout of treatment rooms per code, and creating details for the drawings.

X2 X3 X4 X5

wake forest university winston-salem, nc

The façade study was done as part of a larger campus plan to expand dining, engage students, and foster connectivity between academic and student life. Tribble Hall was chosen for its location – in between student life buildings and academic buildings. It is currently an academic building for classrooms and offices, but it is inaccessible for all and inefficient for its program.

The Tribble Hall dining study investigated three options with program adjacency diagrams and façade designs. The façade study resulted in two new schemes and one renovation scheme. The new schemes offer visual and physical connectivity to the quad using large windows with an entrance on the ground level and a balcony on the upper level. The renovation scheme keeps the two wings as an homage to the campus architecture but places a new core to face the north plaza. All the proposed façade designs consist of a modern look, but still respect the campus architecture. I was actively involved in the program relocation, façade design, visual representation, and client presentation.

tribble Hall facade study

new scheMe respecting exisiting architecture on caMpus

renovation scheMe preserving existing two wings

risk strategies cHicago, il

office buildout

Risk Strategies Company, Inc is an insurance company that went through the process of rebranding their logo and workspace image. The tenant acquired 10,500 sq. ft. of buildout space in the heart of downtown Chicago. As part of the team chosen to work on the project, I assisted with the space plan, construction document set, permit application, finishes scheme, and client presentation. We were able to meet the client’s goal of designing a modern office, creating a unique work environment, and increasing employee’s interaction. Additionally, we set a workplace standard to be used in future buildouts.

reception area

reception area

pantry

leonard dental grouP cHicago, il

Revit

clinic buildout

Ashland Dental consisted of two offices in Teamsters City, Chicago. In the process of expanding, the client rebranded to Leonard Dental Group and obtained a new office buildout of 5,600 sq. ft. In this project, I was involved from the schematic design phase to construction administration phase. I drafted space plans, construction documents set, picked finishes and furniture, created the client presentation, attended construction meetings, and acted as a liaison between vendors and the client. We were able to exceed the client expectations and stayed under budget at $1 million while offering a unique modern look.

reception desk

joHns HoPkins university baltimore, md

krieger breezeway study

The purpose of the study was to address the pedestrian/vehicular circulation, visibility, and accessibility of the existing breezeway. I led the design effort and the design team in developing four scenarios to present to the university. The red scheme creates a two story opening through the middle section of Krieger Hall. It is the most expensive scheme but addresses the major underlying conditions of visibility, accessibility, and overall experience. It consists of moving the loading dock up north to create a loading zone with the Brody Learning Commons, thus separating the zone from pedestrians. The scheme is the least intrusive in terms of program – affecting minor program that can be easily relocated. Looking holistically on all four schemes, the outcomes outweighed the cost of this scheme compared to the others which made it the most favorable.

displaced prograM axon proposed prograM axon

office:

level g: 508 sf

level 1: 721 sf

study services:

level 1: 1,762 sf

research lab:

level g: 960 sf

level 2: 801 sf

level 3: 691 sf

flat floor rooM:

level 1: 989 sf

vertical circulation:

elevator: lg - l3

convenience stair: b - l1

loading dock:

level g

Mechanical:

level 1: 64 sf

total displaced

prograM: 6,432 sf

re-planned prograM area:

level g: 866 sf

level 1: 2,637 sf

level 2: 801 sf

level 3: 691 sf

existing convenience stair reMoved. new stair connects the baseMent to existing egress stair at l1. relocated loading dock to exisitng breezeway

total re-planned prograM: 4,995 sf

study services

office research lab

flat floor rooM new elevator

vertical circulation

loading dock

Mechanical existing breezeway existing entry

loading dock

vertical circulation new intervention re-planned prograM existing krieger entry new entry