Portfolio - Designing Environments

PortFolio

Desognning ENvironments ENVS 10004 Yanxing Zhang 778635

Content Site Exploration 3

Spatial Composition 4

Landform 5

Assemblage 6

Temperal-Spatial Narrative 7

Superimposition 8

Experience Collage 9

Final Project 10 &11

Development 12

Reflection 13

SITE EXPLORATION

Observation: With the increasing demands for space, previous natural components were replaced by constructions. During this process, usage and experience of space were changed.

Analysis: Solid construWctions in this site gradually formed plain and stiff space, which hardly attracts pedestrians’ attention. To inspire students’ innovation and creativity, a dynamic space is required

Featured as ‘fluid’ and ‘varying’, water is applied to this site with three main components: River, Stream, Lake

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SPATIAL COMPOSITION The basic elements of my design is tetrahedron in three forms: transparent, semi-solid and solid. These elements were attached to each other with grid of no objecrs are completely overlapped. This composition displays the visible frame and in visible frame at the same time.

Plan (nts)

Section

Model

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LANDFORM

Model Plan

For the landform, cutting and sloping are to used to explode subtraction and extrusion. And the major element is triangle. The biggest slope eas divided into three smaller slopes. Three similar different sizes triangles to explode both of subtraction and extrusion.

During this process, it is efficient way to transform 2D to 3D

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Section (nts)

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Model

ASSEMBALEGE

Plan (nts)

This design is based on ‘disjunction’. Two strongly different elements form ‘Frame’ and ‘Landform’ were combined together to form a visual balance. The main distinction between these two is that the ‘frame’ is a combination of individual work, while the ‘landform’ is more integrated. However the common shapes and rigid lines allow then to form harmony relationship. Also, different colours were used to stress the contrast.

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Section (nts)

SPACIO-TEMPORAL NARRATIVE Narrative Once upon a time, in the north of the north, lived the most beautiful woman in the world, the Queen of the North.

She was the most structured, elegant and attractive for everyone.

In her land, there was nothing but snow and tundra.

Bravest men left to explore the mysterious land and present their high loyalty and deep affections to the Queen.

As time went by, the men ceased to return.

Dearest Queen became lonely, isolated and tormented by the thoughts of those lost.

Gradually, she turned fragile, decaying, stark and bleak.

There was no more Queen, there was only the Witch.

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SUPERIMPOSITION

Layers: - Assemblage - Site Exploration - Spatio - Temporal Narrative

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EXPERIENCE COLLAGE

In this space, people will feel like occupy the land by themselves. The big concrete objects will isolate people from each other and create an cold and depressing atmosphere.

Concrete was made into two different forms: soft folded ground and hard strong objects.

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FINAL PROJECT

Model

For this project, concrete was applied as the material of the ground and objects. The folded ground surface and solid objects were combined together to represent the transition of the queen. Also, these large and hard objects will bring users the feeling of depression

Partial Section (nts)

Full Section (nts)

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There are some experiments and testing by using different materials. Three different forms were applied to explore more possibilities and further improvements.

Testing Model People can choose to enter the internal space which is very private. Because of the big scale of those objects, the inner space will still make people feel the pressure and the small opening only allows little light to get inside.

Interior

FINAL PROJECT

Partial WSection

Section

(nts)

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DEVELOPMENT Design Process

Further Development

Form To strengthen the relationship between ground and surface, the objects were prolonged to convergent at one point, which will make these objects grow or erupt from inner ground. Also, this composition will reflex the transition from ‘nice’ to ‘nasty’.

Distribution Layers

Form

The distribution was also reconsidered. The objects erupted from one point which represent the change of the queen began from the bottom of heart.

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REFLECTION SITE EXPLORATION

ASSEMBLAGE

EXPERIENCE COLLAGE

This is the first assignment for this semester and also the first collage I have ever made. My part is the history and I found it really interesting to explore the past of the Concrete Lawn. For this task, I found myself did a great job on observation and information collection, while for the analysis part, my work was not insightful enough.

More possibilities and connections should be considered.

For this stage, I struggled with the concept of ‘disjunction’. Suggestions from Brookie really helped me a lot to figure out how to combine my works of ‘frame’ and ‘landform’. I’m very glad to see my work finally met and represented my definition of ‘disjunction’. As my previous problems, my work can be more detailed with deeper thinking of concept.

In the experience collage, the concept of ‘occupying’ and transformation of the queen had been expressed effectively. Also the drawing is well-crafted and strong. However, people’s activities in this space should be developed further and connections with previous stages also need to be strengthened.

SPATIAL COMPOSITION

SPATIO – TEMPORAL NARRATIVE

FINAL PROJECT

In the beginning of this stage, I was little confused about the definition of frame and how to form the grid with combination of the unit elements. I am quite satisfied with the final outcome of the spatial composition. I think my work answered the concept of frame accurately. Meanwhile, there are large space for further improvements of frame techniques. Besides, I like my drawings but they are too 3-dimensional for technical purpose and not correct with lack of basic elements of plans and sections.

To be honest, I love my story about the queen very much. And I thinking it clearly represented the activity of ‘Occupying’. But when I want to transform it to collage, some elements and information were loss or not presented effectively.

For my classmates’ feedback, it is not easy to find every components that have appeared in my narrative. Some representations didn’t work successfully.

LANDFORM

SUPERIMPOSITION

This is my favourite work during this semester. I think the language of my work was very strong and presented my idea highly effective. Highlight of this design I think should be the efficient way with simple shapes and lines to create both subtraction and extrusion. However, the ‘glass’ element may not work as I assumed and on the contrary it was extra for this whole work.

My superimposition is moderately good with combination of all layers, while the weakness is quite obvious. The final outcome looked a little plain and not creative enough. Also critical thinking ad justification became important problems. The relationships between each layer are also not strong enough and lack of consideration. Luckily, the plan worked well to be a good start for the final project.

As the last and most important task for this subject, I devoted a lot to my design, while the final results was not ideal. First of all, I was confident and satisfied with all of my drawings while there still exist some mistakes such as the section ground line.

During the last two weeks, the designing process was limited by the previous work. Even with some experiment and testing, development can be hardly found between the final project and the last week’s work. Another big problem is that connections and interactions between the solid objects and soft ground surface. As two statuses of the queen, there should be reasons why they were placed and how they were connected.

Also, lack of critical thinking and justification are still problems of me.

FUTHER IMPROVEMENT For further improvement, I think I should develop both of my drawing techniques and knowledge of architectural concepts. And I will try not to put too many restrictions on thinking and creativity. I will work on discovering deeper relationships between all components and make the project more insightful and reasonable.

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