Sample Portfolio

Work Selection Brochure ---------2010-2013 ---------

Mu Li

Contact Address: No 602-30, Dushi Road, Shanghai, China Postcode: 201100 Mobile Number: +8613641646793 (China) Email: terrellvip100@icloud.com

Resume About Born in China, studied in UK since A-level. An enthusiastic, creative and hard-working Architectural Design student, with strong interpersonal and innovative skills.

Education University of Edinburgh, ESALA MA(hons)Architectural Design 2009 - Present Skills Proficient with: Adobe Photoshop CS4/CS5, Google Sketchup 7-8, Adobe Indesign CS4/CS5, Auto CAD, Rhino, Pixelmator Ordinary ability with: Adobe Illustrator CS4/CS5, ArchiCAD, model making, photography Language: Chinese, English

Work Experience gmp Architekten von Gerkan, Marg und Partner Shanghai, China June 2008 Archiplein Shanghai, China June 2011-August 2011 gmp Architekten von Gerkan, Marg und Partner Shanghai, China May 2012 – October 2012 SAKO Architects Beijing, China June 2013-August 2013 mad Architects Beijing,China October2013- April 2014

Projects + Internship Works

+ Barcelona Dancing Studio

+ Kerrera Wind Pavilion

+ Anhui Huangshan Holiday Apartments

Internship Works + gmp Architekten von Gerkan, Marg und Partner Shanghai Jianfa Office Building Jiangsu Grand Theatre Jiangsu Sports Park

+ mad Architects Nanjing Thumb Plaza PhaseII Huangshan Residential Buildings Beijing Changyang Tower

+ Archiplein Qingdao Old City Reform Liandan Lake Tea Club

+ SAKO Architects Shengyang HP Skyscraper Chengdu Medicine Office Japan Tamana Factory

Barcelona Dancing Studio

city survey diagram

N site

underground car park

landmarks

city texture

subway route

road system

Site of the dancing studio is situated in the medieval cuitat vella or old town of barcelona, the placa de les camarelles is a residential square, a quick retreat from the busy city streets. Mainly frequented by locals, people sit around the square relaxing and reading where children playing. It is also the roof to a carpark below, the only sign of this being a small pedestrian entrance from the square.

The diagram on the right side shows the basic textures of city space around the site. It also records the public greeneries, traffic states in 10 minutes radius, and cultural landmarks. While the diagram on the bottom tells more about a detailed survey about the facades and materials on the site, and how people walk through the square to make a short cut to someplace else.

site study diagram

program development

Originally the site is empty, lack of events, and programs. The dancing studio should not only be sufficient to its basic functions, but also helps the site to become more dynamic. The first thing I do is divide the plaza into three different sizes parts by putting two covered pedestrians which link the entrances of the square together. Each space shall have its unique spacial quality, and theme. The largest part has historical character of the original square, the space between the two pedestrians is an enclosed small courtyard which has a higher density. The space on the North-East edge will become a green park with plenty of trees. These three spaces join together with rhythm and layers which make the site become more interesting. explosion diagram a. dancing studio b. WC and changing room c. observing room d. kitchen e. office and reception

f. cafe and social area g. warming up area h. staircase to underground car park i. accessible elevator j. public pedestrian

a b b c

a d

f e

g

h

i

j

To save more space, the dancing studio is designed to be lifted up from the ground level. It has a strong character in its shape, the main part of the building has the appearance of two concrete blocks stacked together. Using simple combinations of simple geometries, the building fits into the environment quite peacefully. Three materials are used in my design: timber, concrete, and glass. Glasses are the cut-surfaces on the cubes that concrete creates, which bring light into the building. Sun blocking panels are made in timber, which provides enough privacy for the interior space. The combination of warm and cold, solid and transparent, natural and artificial gives a concise but decent look to the building. Join with the public pedestrians and open spaces, the dancing studio should bring more events to the site, and make it a more interesting and attracting space.

top plan & render

sections

a

b

c

This isometric section shows how the building serves as dancing studio, the building is designed to have two dancing rooms, one primary room with an observation room, and the other dancing room is for practice. Each of them is orientated to have maximum natural light resource. Public semi-private, and private spaces are fluently connected together in a linear logic, and the varies of heights, and turnings in the corridor helps people to feel the difference.

The second section helps to understand how the building works together with the underground car park. By merging the entrance of the car park into the building create a convenient connection between them, and a accessible elevator next to the staircases helps people with disability. The third section explains how the staircase at the main entrance works as a combination of corridor, warming up area, and social place.

c b

b

a

c

a

Kerrera Island Wind Pavilion

This project focuses less on sustainable metrics and more on the qualitative and experiential dimension of ecological design, this project uses Kerrera, Scotland as a site of speculation and exploration. We will explore the reciprocity between building and landscape through two programmatic elements: an active landscape and a passive building. The active landscape will cultivate economic and social activity on the island; the passive building will provide necessary enclosure for occupation of this landscape.

Kerrera is a site of conflicting dynamics: it is proximate yet isolated; it is battered by weather due to its coastal nature, yet tempered and protected by neighbouring islands; it is low in population and economic activity yet rich in natural resource.

Ship route Railway Local Buildings Transportation Hubs Water Features Site Location

From this diagram we leraned that Kerrera is an island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, close to Oban. There are many local industries on the island. For instance kelp , sheep, and whiskey produce. The population on this island is around 90 people, and there are not any cultural buildings like churches or galleries based on my study.

The main transportation to reach the island is to take ferry from Oban.

We had a 2 days trip on Kerrera to do studies of energy.

The weather on the island is variable, most of the days the weather is either raining or windy, the temperature is always at a low point. The landscape is mainly hilly areas, and the main kinds of rocks constitute the island is black slate, sand stones, and basalt.

site studies

Our site locates at the South-East edge of the island.

From the brief I learned its one of the most windy location. Based on the studies, I intended to use the rich wind resource on this island, and set up wind turbines to support the local residents and industries. On the other hand I recorded the wind speed and directions on the site, built a digital model to learn the height, and light conditions.

These help getting a rough idea about the micro-climate conditions on the site, and helps me to locate my building on the site.

wind conditions on the site

height and sunlight study

wind turbines on the site

The wind farm can support the local society, and I am thinking about giving the local residents more support on the cultural aspect. I think it will be a good idea to have a place where people can use it to hold events like art exhibitions, parties, Sunday prays, etc.

Wind is a kind of invisible natural element, but I am interested in visually recording the ‘actions’ of wind. As the photos show we built a temporary equipment to trace the tracks of different things react to wind, and use it as a indirect method to represent the moment of wind on the site. From the output traces, we found some interesting thing between wind and the traces. For instance, the density of the traces is however opposite to the wind speed. The bigger the wind, the trace will be thinner and longer. From the out comes I started to think about how can an architectural space interact with wind? wind acting drawings

wind interacting facade

I find a interesting way to link wind with the building together through light. What we see through our eyes is light, so if I want to make wind visible than it has to be turned into light. I built a simple model to help me do the test. The model is basically a square frame supported on four columns, with some moveable panels over the empty space, the panels are like turbines which can be turned by wind. In 5 minutes of experiment I used a fan to imitate the natural wind, and recorded a series of patterns that the model generated on the floor. The outcome is interesting, the patterns that created on the floor are very random and beautiful.

The result is successful, and I tried to use it on my facade design, which should make the interior space become interesting. shape of the building

The shape of the pavilion is formed by ‘extending’ the landscape of the site to the air above. I followed the angels of the cross sections of the landscape, and created a ‘peak’ above the original hill. The space that under the ‘peak’ became the pavilion. The pavilion is half left up from the ground to make it looks light, and floating in the air. The bottom part of the building attached to the ground and naturally become the entrance of the building. The concept of this pavilion is a transition element between the land and air.

The diagram below shows the structure of the pavilion. Mainly steel frame and reinforced concrete and large amount using of glazing facade. The wind intracting system attached to the steel frame adjusts the lighting inside the pavilion.

facade system & structure of the building

system working diagram shows how the facade translate wind to light

wind interacting facade detail

wind interacting facade

glass panels

reinforced concrete

steel frame structure

reinforced concrete

first floor room render

ground floor room render

This pavilion separates into two rooms on different level, connecting by a linear walkway. The room on the ground level is the entrance room, which can work as a reception, a introduction area before entering the main space on the first floor. The main space is basically a triangular space, different from the solid feeling that the entrance room gives, the wind interacting facade makes the interior of the main room dramatic, by generating random light effect from the influence of wind. which make the atmosphere in the space become very interesting and makes people feel closer to the power and motion of the wind.

These two renders below illustrate the wind pavilion holding an art exhibition, showing the different space experiences that this pavilion can provide.

top view, plans and render

Entrance Room G

Room 1F

Anhui Huangshan Holiday Apartments

This is a real project in Anhui. We are asked to design a group of apartments, which provides customers the experience of relaxing country life. The site is located in a village, it has a small population, most families live on tea tree growing industry. The whole village sits alone a river, and all buildings in this village were built in Hui style, a traditional building style in the south part of China.

The significant features of these buildings are the big white walls, and black tile roofs. The whole village generates a beautiful picture with peaceful rhythm of colours.

typical Hui style village

site map

The design of the apartments will focus on three aspects: respect the local building style, and be environmental,and social friendly. It should be suitable for modern life style.

Based on the studies on Hui style buildings. We tried to simplify the traditional building language, throw away the bloated parts and remain the parts that we think are the essence of Hui style. Originally Hui style buildings have few small windows, as a way of protection, in our design we chose to make one side of the wall to be completely transparent to let the surrounding scenery into the room. The other three sides become completely solid with no windows. These small buildings grouping up to create the whole picture of a ‘community’ just like how a village grows.

building language translation

bird view render

site photos

The diagram on the right side explains how the individual units work as a group and create a public common area at the centre. Like a typical Hui style house, each unit has a private front yard which works as a connection and transition from the public area to the private area, and a back yard can also be accessed from the front yard. I want to make the apartments to be more connected to the surroundings, not just visually, but also physically connected in some way. Besides the main entrance to this building group, people can also access to the surrounding environment from their own backyards as well.

Showing respect to the site, the apartments will be built in bricks, black tiles and bamboos, which are frequently used materials in local architecture, the use of glass wall brings modern architecture element into the design. There will be 12 apartments, and its maximum capacity is 48 people. buildings grouping up

plan

The keyword of this design is communication. The building is having a dialogue with the surroundings through its materials, and building form. The large glass wall, and courtyards help people visually and physically connect with the environment. The neutral spaces that generated from the gaps between apartments work like ‘common room’ for this small community, daily social activities can happen here, and let the society stick together.

This design will become a bridge not only connect people with the environment, but also between individual persons.

functions and activities

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