Ning Xianlin Portfolio 2022

NING

XIANLIN

I grew up in China and spent my adolescence in Singapore until present. I was educated and trained at National University of Singapore.

As an architect, I have involved in the creation of retail developments, institutional facilities, hospitalities and more recently, residential developments.

As a designer, I like to spend time developing details and get inspired from daily objects and experiences. I derive pleasure from observation and believe a good design is science of deduction.

My participated works were named finalists for WAF Awards 2015 and won competitions in overseas projects. The recently completed work MeyerHouse was awarded ‘Building of the Year’ in SIA Award 2022.

WOHA Architects, Singapore , May 2018 - Present - Architectural Designer, design and project management for local projects.

DP Architects, Singapore , May 2016 - April 2018 - Associate, design and project management.

K2LD Architects, Singapore , July 2013 - April 2016 -Junior Architect, design and manage both local and overseas projects, architectural and interior design.

Red Bean Architects, Singapore, May - July 2010 - Intern, involved in overseas competition, local housing and furniture design.

- Conducted field work and published essay on “Huashan Culture Park and Urban regeneration in Taiwan”, National University of Singapore, 2012.

- Joined Vertical Cities Asia Competition, same project won Singapore Institute Landscape Architecture Student Awards 2012.

- Exhibited in Year Exhibition of 2011 at Ecole Speciale D'architecture in Paris, France during student exchange.

Master of Architecture, National University of Singapore, 2013

Bachelor of Architecture, National University of Singapore, 2012

A’ Level, Temasek Junior College, 2007

INVOLVEMENT

The 56-unit development is located on a large 1-hectare plot adjacent to a large public park.

The design seeks to expand on housing typologies in land scarce Singapore to meet aspirations for large format premium housing akin to landed homes.

Residential units pushed to the perimeter of the site with an open end facing the park. This ‘C’-configuration opens up the site and allow units to look into a large 50x75m internal garden with all units orientated toward views of the park.

The building form with its angled roofs ensure the low-rise character of the landed housing estate is preserved while facilitating the optimization of floor-to-floor heights (high ceiling units of 3-3.6m) with duplex penthouse units that open out onto roof gardens occupying the attic level.

Units are individually access via private entrance lobbies located on the ‘lower ground’ with direct lift access to the overhead apartments. Typical unit features12m long living areas with full-height frontage that extends out onto large outdoor living rooms.

Each of these units are designed to be fully cross-ventilated with large overhangs and extensive screening on its external façade.

It is the first project which I was named the project architect for one of the retail zones.

As the youngest project architect among all, I was tasked to supervise fellow team members, check REVIT models, review drawings, coordinate with various consultants, make executive decision for contractual submission & construction issuance and heavily involved in the forthnightly design and technical workshops and client meetings conducted both in Singapore and abroad.

I enjoyed the intense and fruitful learning journey. Through this project, I built up the confidence as a leader and brought back the valuable experience of working with other international renowned consultants.

The project gives me a glimpse of the complex system a world-class shopping mall should be equipped with. It helps to build the foundation for my understanding of commercial projects and due to the sheer size of the project, I get to observe the ‘masterplan’ of the mall as well.

Though the project was postponed, the ambitions and the creativities contributed by architects from world-wide sofar still make this one of the greatest project to work on.

02DUBAI

RETAIL DISTRICT

PROJECT INFORMATION LOCATION Dubai, UAE SITE AREA 38 Ha TOTAL GFA 556,000 m2 STATUS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

INVOLVEMENT PROJECT SCALE

Authority Submission

Architectural Design Interior Design/ Detailing Site Coordination Project Management Contractual Management

XS

XL S L M

COMMERCIAL HUB OF DISTINCTIVE AND COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT TO MEET FUTURE BUSINESS NEEDS.

Qatar Financial Centre(QFC) serves as the gateway defining the arrival to the Boulevard District, as well as a transition between the residential/ retail precincts of the Boulevard and the financial district landmark - Lusail Towers. The building design in QFC offers an aspirational and distinctive architectural character. Its architectural expression sensitively relates to the local climate and culture: the proportionate ratio of opacity and transparency, the appropriate

orientation to maximize natural ventilation for open area and the rich and sophisticated pattern on Mashrabiya Louvers all respond to its exotic yet elegant Middle-Eastern origin.

Forms, structure, spatial volume are meticulously planned to meet the international design standards for Grade ‘A’ office, at the same time provide flexibility to support changing tenant needs.

QFC brings seamless connectivity within the precinct for its users. The pedestrian prioritised road network and covered arcades along building peripheral help to improve the walking experience. Clear segregation of pedestrian and vehicular traffic is achieved through elevated environmental decks which join all buildings within north and south precincts respectively.

The deck, in turn is also a great place for informal discussion and collaboration, echoing to the paradigm shift in office buildings towards being more people-centred in order for organisations to reinforce their brands and attract creative prospects.

The integration of ample services and shops add interest to one’s daily routine and help to draw evening and weekend traffic, extending the utilisation period of the built environment.

|| An integrated business campus that promotes business collaboration.

||ENLIVEN

URBAN CONTEXT LIFE

||CREATE SENSE OF PLACE AND

Alpha-4 Residence is located in District 1, the Civic District of Ho Chi Minh City and near to the downtown area. Marketed as high-end residence, Alpha-4 aims to deliver a premier architectural masterpiece that not only offers luxurious city living, but also serves as the stylish landmark that speaks of its status. The design consists of two 57-storey high-rise residential towers and a retail podium of 5 storeys. The curving profiles of the towers elegantly add new brush strokes to the skyline of Ho Chi Minh City: Textured screens and louvers are

detailed with patterns extracted from local culture. Multi-faceted building design offers a distinctive character from every angle. The floor plans have been arranged in such a way that the overlooking issues between units are minimized and every unit is given an unblocked city view. Lushes of sky gardens are placed at interval floors, where also host the residence’s facilities. Immersing oneself among the green and looking out to the city panorama view, the resident could truly embrace the exquisite and sophisticated state of living.

GROUND FLOOR DROP-OFF

05INFINITY

1CENTRE 1BELT 2AXES 5ZONES

Jiyang is an industrial town near Yellow River and the provincial capital Jinan. Like many other similar sized towns and cities in China, it is facing an ageing society with high migration rate of young and capable talents as it could not compete with the 1st or 2nd tier cities for the public welfare amenities and job opportunities.

As the Provincial government is planning to expand the Jinan by merging Jiyang, there is an opportunity for Jiyang to reposition

itself and hasten the rate of urbanization.

The Masterplan area is 8.5km2, within the least developed area of Jiyang. The design envisions to develop the old town into a new hub that will serves as the subsidiary centre of the region, and by the unique industries it aims to bring in: Education, Elderly Living and Creative Headquarter, it will truly become the livable and workable city people want to stay in and migrate to.

CITY CENTRE & INFINITY BRIDGE

One of the masterplan’s highlight is the infinity shaped city centre and an elevated bridge that wraps around the centre, forming a continuous looping pedestrian walkway that seamlessly threads the districts around the centre.

LEARNING CITY CARING CITY WORKING CITY SUSTAINABLE CITY

∞

GREEN BELT CONNECTOR

Another important feature of the masterplan is a green belt that passes through all districts. There are various landscape features planned along the green belt for both recreation and improved biodiversity: Wetland, open

plaza, explorer park and urban farm, to cater to the needs of neighbouring communities. Also a pedestrian and cyclist link way, it provides a safer and more comfortable travel alternative within the old town.

With the masterplan Jiyang will rise as the pioneer leader in the region for its strategically planned new industry, its designed-for-people road network and its distinctive and unique city image.

RESIDENTIAL PRECINCT

ELDERLY CARE PRECINCT

EDUCATION PRECINCT CREATIVE HQ PRECINCT

06HOUSE

Mount Sinai Residence is a semidetached house sited in the quiet neighbourhood of Ulu Pandan. The design aims to crreate a simple yet intrigued look through meticulous overlay of materials.

The metal screen is supported by ‘L’ and ‘T’ steel members, which make

the screen look light-weighted and floating. The shimmering color softens the musculine look givne by the grey tone stone wall. The harmonious and compliemnenting color palette is brought into the interior design of house. The exterior and interior merges to produce a unified spatial experience.

LOCATION SINGAPORE

07G

PROJECT INFORMATION

LOCATION GEORGETOWN, PENANG, MALAYSIA

SITE AREA 3,870 m2

TOTAL GFA 15,357 m2 STATUS COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION IN 2015 AWARDS INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY AWARD 2015 WINNER. WAF AWARD 2015 FINALIST

INVOLVEMENT

PROJECT SCALE

G Hotel Kelawai is an exclusive business hotel with a contemporary outlook targeted at corporate executives and business people. The hotel provides 208 guest rooms and amenities such as a rooftop swimming pool, 3 F&B outlets including Penang’s first sky bar, 24 hour gym, state of the art function rooms, business centre and executive lounge.

The garden alfresco on the ground floor is imagined as an extension of the adjacent public park. The permeability at the street and lobby level reveals a golden cage that is intentionally suspended to allow multiple points of entry into a series of interconnected volumes that contain the entrance lobby, bistro & bar and reception.

Upon entering the main lobby, one is greeted with a triple volume space above the main staircase that extends the visual and spatial continuity to the all day dining restaurant and a tree courtyard that gestures back to the park beyond through a veil of aluminium strips.

Façade lighting concept lights up the exterior panels of the building, changing the way the building interfaces with the surrounding environment from day to night. The building becomes engaged as a part of daily life in the city.

PORTE COCHERE

FLOOR

FLOOR

2ND FLOOR

FLOOR

Shunde School is a boarding school that needs to house 2,400 primary and secondary level students coming from both the city and nearby region, and 100 teaching staff. As it needs to accommodate the daily lives of the people living in campus, the school should not only be a place of learning, a center for recreation, but also a second home.

The area requirement for such a living organization translated into four main components: a 5-storey academic block, a 4-storey administration block, a 15-storey tower as staff residence, and an 8-storey student residence block. These components are organized around a 200-meter running track that accommodates morning assemblies as well as performances and sports events, occurring throughout the year.

The spatial organisation aims to foster sense of identity and belonging is very crucial for the psychological health of the young boarding students: community spaces are created at different sizes, transparency and intimacy levels to provide the inhabitants a comfortable and vibrant living experience. The public spaces such as library and canteen are placed on 1st storey. Courtyard-like space is carved out from the centre of student dormitory, whichlooks up to corridors around and above it. This rather intimate setting of having a public swimming pool next to their dormitory room gives the students a familiar sense of home.

On the 2nd storey of Academic block there is an open street-like green space. This green belt starts from a gently sloping meadow, which has eclipseshaped skylights scattering around,

looking down to the carpark below. It continues on to atrium area where is overshadowed by criss-crossing sky-bridges above, and ends at a wide cascading staircase which doubles up as spectator seating area that faces a small piazza at 1st storey. The pockets of greens give variety in quality of space, also welcome the students to claim imaginary territory and take ownership of their favorite spots.

Face bricks, being the very common construction material in the region, help to enhance the sense of familiarity of the place and imprint the memory of the space. Different color and textures of the bricks are employed to create a rhombus pattern on façades facing external roads, which helps to give the school a character and more prominent frontage.

Interpreting Area Requirement

Creating Nodal Point

Crafting Community Space

Bridging Connection

LEGEND

Staff Residence

A1 Library Student Residence

B1 Canteen

B2 Kitchen

B3 Reading Area

B4 Swimming Pool

Academic Block

C1 Admission Office

C2 Aduitorium

C3 Art Room

C4 Open Plaza

C5 Classroom

Multi-Purpose Hall

D1 Parking

D2 School Archive

D3 Stage

D4 Basketball Court

D5 Grand Platform

Yingde is a small city in Guangdong, where an economic uplift is expected once the high speed railway station is completed. The city calls for a shopping destination and tourist attraction.

As the pedestrian mall sits next to a shopping mall complex, it needs a different character to attract crowds. In comparison to the grand shopping mall, the pedestrian mall try to bring back the nostalgic feeling of street shopping, of being a new-age flâneur, discovering new world while wandering on the street. The undulating roof form takes inspiration from the mountain ridge saround the city, creating a natural skyline.

Bent facades not only create more frontage for the shops but also create an interesting street scene. The suitable length of pedestrian street is studied and each building serves as a psychological rest point to reignite the interest in shoppers, luring them to move on.

Alfresco are set up at both 1st and 2nd storey to let people see and be seen. Once walk up on to the upper floor and observe the street vista, one could easily start to see the building as rocks that scatter along a lively stream, another metaphor which well represents the vibrance and engery of the city.