STORYTELLER

Immersive Theatre for the Drama Sleep No More

Renovation of Paper Factory in Marzabotto Competition

Duration: 2018.05-2018.06

Instructor: Prof. Li Bing

Category: Design

Site: Marzabotto, Italy

Building Area: 4200 ㎡

The project is a renovation of the Mantuan paper factory and the idea of the renovation starts from exploring correspondence between drama scene and space. Dramatic conflict produces spatial perception. And the narrative order of space is in connection with the development of the drama. A new type of theatre called "Immersive Theatre" is built up to create experiences where audience members give up their "observer" status to become co-actors and co-creators of the narrative and of the storytelling process. And the audience will have an emotional resonance from the architecture.

You will be inside the space, choosing what scenes to see, creating movements and physically responding to actions to create site-responsive theatre. The performance will never be the same. In the theatre, audience is the storyteller, actor is the storyteller, space is the storyteller. Everything is the storyteller.

Breathing

Interactive Fashion

2020 Fall Interior Elective

Duration: Graduate, 2020.10-2020.12

Instructor: Tania Sofia Branquinho, Elvin Ou

Category: Interior Elective in Pratt, Group Work

Co-Designer Pei Yang

With the global spread of the pandemic, the importance of social distancing has become increasingly evident. This installation aims to tackle the current social distancing situation by emphasizing its significance. Our goal is to promote the practice of social distancing throughout the epidemic while also rekindling a sense of intimacy in the post-pandemic era. By integrating interactive lighting and fashion design, we utilize the human body as a symbol and a reminder of the need to maintain appropriate social distance.

CONCEPT/ MODE

Infectious diseases often have a direct relationship with breathing, so we have chosen breath as the central theme for our installation. By utilizing the switching of light colors and flicker frequencies, we aim to convey human emotions with the twinkle frequency corresponding to the respiratory rate. Through the combination of fabrics with different density and texture, the air is visualized. Through overlapping techniques, we create a dynamic play of lightness with different levels of transparency.

The installation will feature three distinct modes:

1. Normal Breathing: Warm white lights will be used to simulate the natural rhythm of human breath.

2. Rejection during the Pandemic: Red lights with increased flicker frequencies and the sound of a buzzer will convey a sense of rejection.

3. Welcoming in the Post-Pandemic Era: Colored lights will serve as a welcoming signal, symbolizing a return to normalcy.

Overall, our installation seeks to explore the connection between breath, light, and human emotions, while representing different responses to the pandemic situation.

Testing Factors

FINAL BOARD TESTING

FINAL BOARD _ During Pandemic

FABRIC WITH COLORED LIGHT TESTING

FABRICATION

When the objects are 6 feet away from the sensor, the white light will light up at normal speed; When the objects are within 6 feet of the sensor, the red light will light up at faster speed, and the buzzer will ring.

FINAL BOARD _ During Pandemic

When the objects are 6 feet away from the sensor, the white light will light up at normal speed; When the objects are within 6 feet of the sensor, the colored light will light up.

FABRIC TEXTURE WITH LIGHT TESTING

FINAL VIDEO/ PHOTOS

RETAIL & BAR

Food Space for the Brand HENRI CHARPENTIER

2020 Spring Interior Design Studio

Duration: Graduate, 2020.4-2020.5

Instructor: Jon Otis

Category: Design Studio in Pratt

Site: Manhattan, NY

This project is to design a food space for the dessert brand HENRI CHARPENTIER. The site is located at 126 5th Ave, Manhattan. The proposal is for a type of composite-space that merges a sophisticated afternoon or evening dessert and bar destination, with a more casual retail space selling various artisanal sweets and desserts. The design also addresses the new paradigm we are presently living in: a viral pandemic - create spaces where people can see others, hear others, but not come in contact with them directly.

CONCEPT - DUAL- ATMOSPHERE SPACE

- ADJUSTABLE SPACE

- SOPHISTICATED MINIMALISM

- SIMPLE AND CLEAN

DESCRIPTION

The design will feature a separate dessert bar and retail space selling sweet baked goods and desserts as well as items togo. Coffee, beverages, tea and desserts will be served in the afternoon and in the evening specialty desserts will be paired with cocktails or wine. The design will seek to convey a consistent continuity in materials but will have two diverse atmospheres for visitors to experience. Customers can select uniquely-packaged sweets while also maintaining social distancing. The retail space provides the opportunity to sell products to take home during a pandemic.

Addressing Pandemic

During pandemic period, Retail provide to-go items, shopping in the store considering social distancing Bar provide dining space with separating fabric

After pandemic(post-pandemic), Adjustable curtains will enable larger group gatherings

WHY FABRIC AS PARTITION FOR DINING SPACE?

UP TO 72 HOURS:

This is the amount of time coronavirus can stay active on hard, shiny surfaces Think things like play equipment, door and public transport handles and your phone.

UP TO 24 HOURS:

This is the amount of time it took for researchers to find no more viable traces of the virus on cardboard. This is also a good guide for other porous surfaces

Porous surfaces are much less likely to hold viable amounts of the virus.

Finally decided to use cotton and linen translucent fabric as the partition material. Cotton and linen fabrics give people a sense of intimacy and comfort. At the same time, the translucent fabric provides a certain degree of privacy. It also meets the psychological needs of people under pandemic: you can hear or see each other to a certain extent, but you cannot have direct contact with someone.

CURTAIN RAIL SYSTEM & TRACK LIGHTING

Consider social distancing during pandemic, using curtain systems to separate people. When it is post-pandemic, adjustable curtains will enable larger group gatherings.

Also, the rails of the curtain in dining space are extended as the rails of track lighting in retail space.

During Pandemic: Curtains seperate people; Sliding doors block the flow of people passing through the dining space and retail space.

When post-pandemic, the curtains are opened and people resume social communication.

During pandemic, the curtains as partition to seperate people.

Post-pandemic: Allow group gatherings; Sliding doors opend to allow the flow of people passing through the dining space and retail space.