Pratt Institute
School of Graduate Architecure and Urban Design
studio III - residential highrise.....P4-11
studio IV - waste to energy and recycling infrastructure & public programming...P12-17
studio II - elementary school.....P18-23
studio VI - nyc eater exploratarium....P24-27
professional work samples......P28-29
This is our site plan. Our building is located on the souteast corner of the site, which is in the red box. Besides the pre existing towers, we added more building to the community to create more housing and more public spaces.
This multi family housing project is designed for the Farragut Housing community. We want to connect them and the surrounding neighborhood to create a space that encourages everyone in the area to interact and engage in recreational activities collectively.
We design the circulation in a way that people can enter the building’s public area from both inside and outside of farragut. The interaction of outer landscape and interior circulation creates a good spatial flow for the residents. It blurs the boundaries between indoor and outdoor space and makes the community more welcoming. The ultimate goal of this project is to connect the residentWs through public spaces, and let them interact with each other while also benefiting the community.
Fall 2022 with Professor Marina Correia
*This project is a colloaboration between myself and my studio partner Yuanyuan Wei.
*Rendering and sit plan credit: Violet Chen
circulation diagram
Our project is an incinerator and recycling plant, with a boathouse and spa as our secondary programs. We want to create a space that has an open and welcoming atmosphere for people to enjoy. In order to achieve this, we found a balance between nature and industrial.
For the industrial part of our building, we use steel as our main structure, and for the secondary programs, we use pre cast concrete for the first and second floor with steel structure on the third floor. The design incorporates a weight contrast between the heavy conrete foundation and the light steel structure above. The sculpted concrete structure sits mainly on the side next to the river, which represents nature, covering the industrial part of the program. The sculpted concrete structure also forms our main outdoor path, it is sculpted in a way that reveals the machines inside, creating a contrasting harmony between nature and industrial.
This main path provides access to each program in the building while also offering scenic views of the surrounding area. Visitors can also observe the machinery in operation, which serves an educational purpose and is an integral aspect of our design.
This project is to design a middle school for the Redhook neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY. Located in an industrial area, my idea for this project is to create an exciting learning enviroment for the middle school students. The development of this project started from the assembly of 3D objects that I created from the line drawings. After the first study, I duplicated my objects and re-asseble it into a new mass. From there, the skin that is inspired by draping textile was created using the shape of the new mass. The skin eventually became the “veil” of the building.
is an individual project.
physical models
site and mass models
project development & early models
Nestled within a residential enclave on 65th Street near Central Park West, my envisioned science discovery center for kids, “NYC Water Exploratorium”, promises an immersive journey into the realm of urban rivers and streams. Our center offers a sanctuary for children to reconnect with the natural world. Through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and playful encounters with flowing water, children will learn about the cycle of water as well as Manhattan’s aquatic heritage.
By reclaiming part of 65th street for a newly daylighted De Voor’s Mill Stream, we not only expand pedestrian access but also nurture a greener, more sustainable urban landscape. As the road is blocked off and there is no car traffic, bike lanes will also be introduced along the river.
The project is inspired by pipes, as it is the main medium of water flow in cities. The pipes overlapping each other can form slabs, but they can also allow water flow and water storage, and eventually the water that flows through the pipes will flow into the newly introduced stream. The shape of the massing also shaped the new river bed rock, forming shallow pools for children to play and learn about water.
Spring 20204 with Professor Sulan Kolatan
*This project is a an individual project
internship summer 2023 at SLCE Architects
Violet Chen ychen772@pratt.edu