from 2016 to now
ABOUT HOW TO SERVE "PEOPLE" BETTER
PORTFOLIO
Thearchitect’sroleistofightforabetterworld,wherehecanproduceanarchitecure thatserveseveryoneandnotjustagroupofprivilegedpeople.
—OscarNiemeyer
DIRECTORY
Thearchitect’sroleistofightforabetterworld,wherehecanproduceanarchitecure thatserveseveryoneandnotjustagroupofprivilegedpeople.
—OscarNiemeyer
REPAIR A WINDOW , A WINDOW FOR REPAIR
RETHINK RENOVATION
INFORMATION:
Thesis Seminar & Thesis Studio Duration: 09/2023-05/2024
Location Salk Institute, San Diego, USA
Type Seminar & Studio/ Solo Work
Instructor Neyran Turan, Ashley August
DESCRIPTION:
This is a project about maintaining, mending and repairing. Why we bother to talk about all this behind-thescenes work? Actually the discussion involves the contradiction between a consumer society and a repair society.
The project proposes a façade restoration of Louis Kahn’s Salk Institute, reimagining missing details from the original design with consideration for factors such as wood grain orientation, assembly techniques, and solar exposure. It emphasizes how natural weathering can be aesthetically integrated while preserving structural integrity and outlines methods for both interior and exterior maintenance. And it all starts with a statement of Álvaro Siza about maintenance:
"The idea I have of a house is the idea of a complicated machine, in which every day something breaks down.
The drawers jam, the carpets rip, as does the padding of the dining-room sofa.
The tiles are falling off, first one, then the whole wall."
This is a project about maintaining, mending and repairing. Why we bother to talk about all thisbehind-the-scenes work? Actually the discussion involves the contradiction between a consumer society and a repair society.
A consumer society is where everything is replaceable, there is always a better product ready andwaiting, repair is neither worthwhile or encouraged. Take the iphone for example, even when an official service manual is available for reference, users are still confused by the complexity of the instruction.
And a repair society sits the opposite situation of abundance and waste, provide a way and toolsfor people to fix their daily life by themselves. Take the Japanese boro technique for example, you repair the same garment again and again and hand it down through generations.
REPAIR THROUGH "MISSING" DETIALS
REPAIR THROUGH TIME
And if users are encouraged to fix their facade from exterior, a workable platform is provided. Exterior stairs reflect maintenance help from professional, and as time passes, users will gradually move towards maintenance and autonomy.
So to conclude, this is a project based on the rethink of the existed project, imagine what if all these happen in a repair society, and it starts with detailing the window.
IGNISLINE
DENVER CODE HOUSING
INFORMATION:
Buildner Competition Duration: 11/2024-01/2025
Location Denver, USA Type: Competition/ Team Work Partner Lucine Lu/ Xiaodi Chang
DESCRIPTION:
This project explores a new typology of multi-family apartment buildings in Denver, utilizing a single stairwell configuration. A primary design challenge is reducing fire risks and ensuring safe evacuation. To address this, the design incorporates innovative strategies such as introducing diverse unit types to meet varying community needs and functioning as a fire buffer for the surrounding neighborhood by controlling fire sources and limiting fire expansion.
The design respects traditional wood-frame construction while integrating modern fire-resistant materials, such as loam, for floor plates. It also includes separated pressurization systems for the egress core and elevator lobby to isolate fire and smoke from common areas. These features work together to enhance safety and resilience within the building.
The project aims to achieve higher density and space efficiency in a high-intensity neighborhood while maintaining cost control through the use of prefabricated materials and efficient construction methods. By balancing innovation, safety, and affordability, this project aspires to offer a better and safer living environment for its residents.
For multi-family buildings built on a former single-family lot, the side setback should be a minimum of 3 feet with no obstructions. Additional setbacks, such as patios or building setbacks, are required for 50% of another 4.5 feet inward, with exposed materials receiving 2-hour fire-retardant treatments, unless the façade is made of highly fire-resistant materials with less than 10%
openings. Relaxing the side setback requirements allows for wider units, improving
and space.
Setback
A-B-C Zones
Concrete
To prevent small fires from becoming catastrophic, the design includes three concrete barriers—two wet zones and one egress core—helping to contain fire horizontally between units. Additionally, loam is used between wood framing in the FIRE BUFFER ZONE IN LARGE SCALE
prefabricated floor slabs, acting as a vertical fire obstruction. Exterior wall openings are staggered to reduce air flow and limit the speed at which smoke and fire spread through rooms and units.
We're Alex and Jordan, a couple sharing a cozy two-bedroom apartment with our lovable dog, Bailey. Home is our sanctuary, where we balance time together— cooking, gaming, or relaxing— with space to pursue our individual passions. Bailey keeps us smiling, and every corner reflects love, respect, and a shared sense of joy.
I'm Jasmine Carter, a recent college graduate stepping into the next chapter of my life. I live in a small one-bedroom apartment that's all mine. It's cozy and simple, with just enough space for my books, a comfy couch, and big dreams as navigate this exciting new journey. Hi, I’m Maya Bennett, a writer living in my cozy one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment. My home is my sanctuary, where sunlight kisses my desk by the window, bookshelves tell countless stories, and vibrant plants breathe life into my space. It’s here that my words find their rhythm and voice.
We are the Thompsons, a lively family of four making memories in our three-bedroom apartment. Our cozy home is filled with laughter, love, and the bustling energy of our two children, Aiden and Zoe. Each room tells a story—our shared adventures, cherished moments, and the dreams we're building together.
A single egress building requires enhanced compartmentalization and pressurized stairwells, which separate the egress stairs, elevator area, and common corridors into three different pressure zones using a minimum 2-hour fire-rated insulated fire door with fire seals. Common areas should only use non-combustible materials or combustible materials with a minimum 2-hour fire-retardant coating. This design blocks smoke and fire within the units. Single egress buildings allow for diverse unit layouts and more comfortable living spaces.
SECOND
GROUND
THIRD
Prefabrication Process - Floor/Ceiling
Prefabrication Process - Louvre Facade
INFORMATION:
Landscape Architecture Design Duration 09/2023-12/2023 Location Mission District, San Francisco, USA Type Design Studio/ Teamwork Work Instructor Elizabeth Bishop Partner Xiaodi Chang FLOW & GLOW INTEGRATED STUDIO
DESCRIPTION:
This project, as an dance auditorium and also as a community gathering space, is founded on the concept of 'flowing' and smooth transition. The flowing idea plays a pivotal role in enhancing connectivity within a building or urban environment. To realize this vision, the project incorporates the innovative practice of carving out 'in-between spaces' around the courtyard, ensuring a fluid and uninterrupted spatial experience.
Furthermore, the approach places a strong emphasis on the aesthetic qualities of in-between spaces. The design involved consideration of materiality to not only enrich the overall experience but also contribute to the ambiance of the location.
Rotation
Rotation
The floor plan incorporates the building's lobby, commercial space, and a bike shop surrounding the courtyard, collectively celebrating a sense of inwardness. The main entrance to the building is discreetly concealed within its depths.
A gracefully curved exterior staircase is strategically arranged to mirror the contours of the courtyard.
Additionally, the underground parking is designed with an entrance accessible from 14th Street and an exit leading to Mission Street. L shape L
COURTYARD WE GROW
ADAPTIVE REUSE OF CHINATOWN AREA
INFORMATION:
Landscape Architecture Design & Architecture Renovation Duration: 02/2023-05/2023
Location Chinatown, San Francisco, USA Type Design Studio/ Solo Work Instructor Lyndon Neri & Rossana Hu
DESCRIPTION:
The Chinese courtyard has always taken a more conservative and private stance compared to its Western counterparts. The courtyard space symbolizes the contrast between solid and void and the embodiment of both light and sky, relating to the Taoist philosophy of the yin and yang. My architectural proposal uses a network of Chinese courtyards to organize and bring a sense of reflection and focus to various activities happening in Chinatown. The cultural program features activities in this community rather than relics. The design proposal manipulates the ground, landscape, and creates a networked spatial sequence around interior courtyards and shared pathways.
The project sees this inwardness of courtyards as the essence of Chinatown and attempts to realize a shift from horizontal to vertical courtyards.
The project encompasses the renovation of Portsmouth Square and the Chinatown Hilton Hotel. Prioritizing community activities over historical relic, innovative programs are introduced to breathe new life into these locations.
For Portsmouth Square, a proposal for an open-to-thepublic Chinatown museum is outlined. This museum not only showcases exhibits but also incorporates a network of courtyards designed for local residents' daily rituals, including activities such as playing mahjong and poker.
As for the Chinatown Hilton Hotel, a vibrant addition is suggested in the form of a Chinese-style wet market located at its base. This market aims to vividly portray the lively and bustling essence of Chinatown life, contributing to the cultural vibrancy of the area.
0
FRAGMENT
HOUSING PROGRAM
INFORMATION:
Architecture Design
Duration 09/2022-12/2022
Location Downtown, Oakland, USA
Type Design Studio
Instructor Rudabeh Pakravan
DESCRIPTION:
Downtown Oakland embodies a fragmented landscape where historical buildings seamlessly intertwine with contemporary high-rises, casting reflections upon each other's glazing in an unconventional harmony. To comprehend this intriguing juxtaposition, the project engages in an experiment inspired by the Moriyama House case study. By intentionally misaligning sight interactions from one window to another through a shifting operation, a unique exploration unfolds.
This housing project serves as a three-dimensional manifestation of the same fragmented language, wheresight interactions are never direct. This deliberate choice gives rise to a dynamic tension among different units, the building itself, and the surrounding context.
Experiment of Moriyama House
A MOURNING PLACE
INFORMATION:
Landscape Architecture Design Duration 4/2020-5/2020 Location Huoshenshan Hospital, Wuhan, China Type Academic Work/ Design Studio/ Solo Work Instructor Xu Tianyu
DESCRIPTION:
At the time of planning this project, the epidemic situation in Wuhan has slowed down, but thousands of people died in more than two months, and those involved in it should be considered in multiples. Although people will understand that the epidemic situation is a special period, it is impossible to ask bereaved families not to vent their emotions.The pain of bereavement needs to be relieved by talking and crying, which is the best way to sort out the psychology. Therefore, this design decided to make a landscape for people to cry. Besides, it will locate on the original site of Huoshenshan Hospital, where people can cry for their loved ones, friends and themselves. After crying, perhaps the shadow brought by the COVID-19 could really dissappear since crying is the first step of treatment.
MEMORIAL LANDSCAPE
BACKGROUND ANALYSIS
To create a space for people to cry, the project traced back the important time node and people’s emotion shift during the epidemic, and trying to design a spatial sequence for visitors to re-experience it so that they can recover.
Wuhan Shut
Huoshenshan Hospital was put into use
Wuhan Funeral Parlours reopen to public
Wuhan reopen to the world
TERRAIN & LANDSCAPE INSTALLATION
In this design, terrain and landscape installation together represent the emotion state the bereaved people went through during the epidemic period.
Crossover
B. Overlay
C. Insert
D. Half Surround
E. Pass Through
F. Rotate Down G. Extend
Worried
Terrified
Dizzy
Shocked
Sorrow
Depressed
ABOVE THE RUINS
URBAN DESIGN COMPETITION
INFORMATION:
Landscape Architecture Design
Duration 8/2020-9/2020
Location Yangliuqing, Tianjing, China
Type Academic Work/ Design Studio/ Solo Work
Instructor Lin Lifeng, Feng Jiang
DESCRIPTION:
With the expansion of modern cities, it has become a common phenomenon that the urbanization rate of land is higher than that of population which produced low utilization buildings, and we define them as the new ruins of modern cities. This interesting discovery makes us start to think about the meaning of ruinswhat is ruin and where does it come from and where it will eventually go?
Our design is divided into two parts, they are human being's fate and ruins' destiny in the which we consider highly related since both of them are not welcome by the modern city. The Peripheral Museum is inspired by the "Stray Dogs" film directed by Cai Mingliang, which tells the similar fateful development trajectory between the urban fringecrowd and the ruined space. The interior is a complex, which is the epitome of modern urban sprawl. It will continue to proliferate to the same fate as the ruins, but after it collapses into real ruins, it will give birth to new organic vitality and use value.
THE LIFE CIRCLE OF NEW URBAN RUINS
Our design is divided into two parts, they are human being's fate and ruins' destiny in the which we consider highly related since both of them are not welcome by the modern city. The Peripheral Museum is inspired by the "Stray Dogs" film directed by Cai Mingliang, which tells the similar fateful development trajectory between the urban fringecrowd and the ruined space. The interior is a complex. It is the epitome of modern urban sprawl. It will continue to proliferate to the same fate as the ruins, but after it collapses into real ruins, it will give birth to new organic vitality and use value.
PHASE I CONSTRUCTION
PHASE II COMPLETMENT
PHASE III COLLAPESE
PHASE IV NIRVANA
CITY WATER TANK
FLOOD REGULATION & QUARRY RESTORATION & CITY PUBLIC SPACE
INFORMATION:
Landscape Architecture Design Duration:11/2020-12/2020 Location Guangdong, Guangzhou, Nansha, China Type Academic Work/ Solo Work Instructor Wang Yihui
DESCRIPTION:
When began to dive into the Nansha region, found that the urbanization brought negative leverage to the surrounding inhabitants. Urban construction required a lot of building materials. And Nansha was abundant in all kinds of stones, which gave rise to a bizarre scene - among the uniformity of the residential area appeared a large number of huge holes owing to digging and quarrying mines. The passive and absurd urban landscape makes me feel depressed. Therefore, in a landscape project, on the one hand, stabilized the slope and restored the green, adapting it into a rest area like a block park. On the other hand, employed it as a water storage tank for the whole coastal city, playing a role of flood control and disaster relief during the flood season.
BACKGROUND ANALYSIS
GENERAL STRATEGY
MANAGEMENT PROCESS
HOW TO DETECT THE CHANGE OF WATER LEVEL
CO-EXIST BORDER
A VESTIGATION TOWARDS STRAY CATS IN WUHAN UNDER COVID-19
INFORMATION:
Landscape Architecture and Urban Design
Duration:9/2020-11/2020
Location Shijijiayuan Community, Wuhan, China
Type: Academic Work/ School Work/ Solo Work
Instructor Jason Ho
DESCRIPTION:
The conflict between stray cats and the people in the city became increasingly intense during the rise of the epidemic, especially following the emergence of rumors that cats might cause the spread of Covid-19. As a result, certain illegal “harmless treatments” were conducted on stray cats in the community. So decided to provide a shelter for these cats.
extracted their preferenced space type by recording their daily movements using GPS. The places identified by the GPS in which the cats were willing to stay for longer are emphaised. revisited these places, tried to find out why they are so appealing to cats.I tried to probe further into the matter by comparing their ideal space types proportion to the current situation of their community and filling the gap. Eventually, a coexisting community will be created which barely causes any disruption to the present human community, while also providing the possibility for a positive human-cat interaction and public space activiation.
CO-EXIST BORDER
Each extracted space types are transformed into a monomer design according to the cat scale.According to the actual situation and the difference between the ideal proportion and the actual situation of each space type in the area, the approximate proportion of each monomer in the area is determined.
REPRODUCTION ISSUE
Considering cats often stay under the car in winter and rainy days, and even worse, they will get into the car engine when they are frightened, which will bring double risks to the safety of people and cats. propose to transform the parking space in the community as shown in the figure. On the one hand, the captured cats will be sent to RNT; on the other hand, if cats find traps under the cars, they will be less likely to be around the unsafe place.
One of the major problems that stray cats bring to people in the city is the health problem. During the epidemic period, this contradiction has been intensified. They often come into contact with people's masks when they look for food in the garbage can, which is not conducive to epidemic prevention. Therefore, a garbage bin is designed to separate the garbage. When the cat eats, it will only touch the kitchen waste on it and redu ce the risk.
Sentry
Pavilion Construction
Duration: From September, 2018 to November,2018 Location Guangdong,Guangzhou,Nansha,China Type Teamwork Responsbility
