Selected Works of Amy Zhu from 2019-2024

PORTFOLIO AMY YIQING ZHU

SELECTED WORKS FROM 2019-2024 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - Master of Science in Design

B E I J I N G U NIV ERSITY OF CIV IL EN GIN EERIN G A N D A RCHITECTURE - Bachelor of Architecture

yiqingz hu71@gmail.com

I always believe that spatial design is an art to create relations, not only between physical spaces, but also between the built environment, nature and people.

I dived into the deepest part of different environmental and social problems, and understand the most caring and softest spots in people's hearts. My goal is to create diverse, equal and inclusive spaces that bring people together in cultural and spiritual ways, from the bigger picture to the excellence of details.

Contents

Graduate Works

1

AGHA KHAN MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART Architectural Design

2

CYBORG WONDER Architectural Design

3

WET & DRY Architecture Design

Undergraduate Works

4

WE ARE MAUNA KEA Architectural Design

5

LEST WE FORGET

Architectural Design

Professional

7

- NIO Intelligent Electric Car Park - Tianfu Central Business Park

1

AGA KHAN MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART PROJECT 1 | YEAR 1 MASTER Dubai is a convergence point of ancient Arabic culture and modern trends, making it one of the most dazzling economic and cultural centers in the world. We aim to design a contemporary Arabesque museum in Dubai to combine modern elements with Arabesque work and create novel spaces and experiences that are both functional and awe-inspiring by using a new way of continuous connection between units consisting of solids and voids.

Architectural Design Group project Team member: Chengkai Zhang Site: Dubai,UAE Professor: Hina Jamelle Course Grade: A+

All graphic and text contents archived in this portfolio are solely produced by the applicant.

Initial Design Research

We used the sector extracted from our diagram as the basic element of each solid unit and used voids to connect them to form four continuous facades. The same logic are used to create the plan and the 3D forms.

Our design research consists of two steps: 1.Selecting an Arabic artwork to create a diagram that can uncover its underlying logic and dynamics. 2. Introducing machine learning to build a more complex vocabulary for designing 3D forms.

1

Original Work

Basic Logic

Diagram

Machine Learning

2

3

4

The arabesque work we choose is the entrance dome of the shah mosque in Iran.

We discovered that the logic of this dome is based on a cellular pattern when we see it from the plan. And it is generated from the center of a fan shape to build each unit.

The plan has a lot of similarity with the process of cellular generation, so we get our diagram from this concept.

In machine learning, After hybrid a picture which has a linear logic with our diagram, we had the theme of the design: Using carvings and voids to create a new way of continuous connection between units.

The Integration of the Massing and Building Details At the scale of the building’s details and structure, we explore the continuity of solid and void, and their discontinuity at the scale of the overall building. From our diagram, we can see a continues density change from top to bottom, which we abstract into the form of column. A column forest was therefore formed by transition from solid on the upper floors to void on the ground floor.

Next, we incorporated the generation of columns into the massing, forming a facade with a leaflike shape at the top and inwardly folded at the bottom.

+

=

Techniques and Materials The techniques applied to the facade are not limited to the aesthetics of forms. The carvings, bending techniques, and the mild concrete material allow soft indirect sunlight to filter into the exhibition spaces. vTherefore, interesting and unique lighting and illumination effects can be achieved both indoors and on the facade, whether it is day or night.

Voids: Connection Between the Museum and the Context The site is located in the most prosperous commercial district of Dubai, surrounded by landmarks such as Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall. We put the voids in the appropriate position to make the museum keep the site’s original function of viewing the Burj Khalifa and perform as a beautiful sculpture for visitors at Dubai Mall at the same time. We have two entrances where visitors can be dropped off at the site.

ABOVE: Entering the corridor and look back, people can have a unique view of the burj Khalifa because the void and solid became parts of the view.

BELOW: The horizontal void becomes an outdoor cafe or rest area.

The Interweaving of Solid and Void When the external forms are turned into the interior, we still use continuous curve to keep the volume solid. In section, you can see the void and gap formed by the leading-in of the external form into the interior, are providing functions such as lighting, bridge, and sight-viewing openings.

Gallery The interwoven form I have designed will foster a captivating interplay between the building's volume and natural light, giving rise to spaces reminiscent of Arabian calligraphy. These unique and novel experiences will not only serve functional purposes but also offer visitors an aesthetic delight that is sure to leave a lasting impression.

2

CYBORG WONDER The Future of the NY Stock Exchange PROJECT 2 | YEAR 1 MASTER

The future urban world is a cyborg world, part natural part social, part technical part cultural, but with no clear boundaries, centres, or margins. At that time, the most important buildings for human beings probably are no longer majestic buildings made of reinforced concrete, but an Internet world composed of servers hidden under gray and white stone walls.

I can't help asking, what architecture will be like when biological world and digital world can never be apart.

Instead of the traditional way of using different language to design human/machine spaces and totally separate them, we aim to weave the virtual/reality experience spaces creating new "scenes" for people and the machine space for servers to achieve a harmonious and unified aesthetic.

Architectural Design Group project Team member: Fangchao Yang Site: NY Stock Exchange, the US Professor: Brian Deluna Course Grade: A+

All graphic and text contents archived in this portfolio are solely produced by the applicant.

Potential on top of NYSE The site is located on the Top of The New York Stock Exchange, the symbol and beacon of the consumerism revolution in the 20th century. The high cost of space, little available space for new ground-up building, and the carbon footprint of demolition suggests a new way of thinking: building on top of the NYSE. As a continuation of NYSE, we aim to create an experimental field to combine digital consumption and traditional consumption to reshape the triangular relationship between people, space, and digital technology and create new "consumption scenes" or even "life scenes." The project will be positioned as the pioneer and beacon of the digital consumption revolution in the 21st century.

Verticality shown by machanical spaces

In Spatial Logic A woven fabric comprises many tiny threads.

Although it seems complicated, there are very clear levels of logic and organized internal structures. The same goes for our designs.

As a whole, we extracted two critical elements from human and machanical spaces: vertical and horizontal parallel structures. When the two elements are woven with each other, our design's spatial logic is formed: stepping. We use this logic to organize all the elements in the human and machine spaces to create continuous rhythm.

From automated storage systems to modern factories, it is easy to find that mechanical space often has vertical characteristics. I extracted the following four elements from the machine and abstracted them as vertical elements.

Solid

Slices

Pipe/Rod

Pieces

Hybrid for the air flow: For machanical spaces, the spatial sequence is like a huge radiator with fins,allowing the heat generated by the servers to be dissipated.

Floors

Stairs

Windows

Roofs

Horizontality shown by human spaces Verticality shown by machien spaces

In Details

Hybrid for the light:For human space, the spatial sequence can create a rich and light experience of light and shadow.

In details, we try to create a spatial sequence by creating the variation in density and angle of the elements, and also the variation of rhythm and materials. Moreover, these different spatial sequences are applied in different spaces between humans and machines.

We try to be as smooth and natural as possible at the joints. Just like the overall sense and internal structure emphasized by weaving aesthetics, we expand this connection to different depths and use more different levels of structures so that this smooth and natural weaving extends to the entire design.

Comparison with previous works and new inspirations This project is very different from all the previous ones. Previous projects made me firmly believe that space exploration should be based on human feelings, but this non-comprehensive space aesthetics exercise challenged this idea. Although there was a lot of subversion and doubt in this process, I kept thinking in the midst of criticism and challenges, which enabled me to acquire a brand-new vision and ideas.

In my opinion, the core issues discussed in this exercise are the following two: 1. Does form must follow function?Rather than form following function, form presents function.The underlying social complexity has to be somehow translated into the spatial complexity of an architectural complex. From the perspective of form to organize functions increased programmatic complexity to coincide with a relative reduction of visual complication using integrating multiple elements into a coherent and continuous formal and spatial system.

2. Is “man”has to be the measure of all things?An architectural process that does not privilege features that regard "man" as the measure of all things may be a way of "letting other voices speak. Sometimes, only by shaking off the anthropocentric idea can we discover the power repressed by an externalized quotidian life.

What exactly is architecture? What exactly should be done? Perspectives on these issues will evolve through the challenges and innovations of successive generations of architects. There may never be a definitive answer. However, it is more important to experience, think and make your own choices during the learning process.

3

Tangent

Connection

Rhythm

WET & DRY Wall as Simple Machine PROJECT 3 | YEAR 1 MASTER

"Architecture can be seen as a frozen moment within a dynamic process.

"In this design, we've drawn inspiration from simple machines to transform a dynamic mechanical process into a static balance. By using a cylinder that appears to roll down from the hill, we've ingeniously turned what seems like the most unstable element into the most solid part supporting the entire structure after careful balance and mechanical analysis. This creates a striking visual and psychological contrast. Rooted in the simple machine concept and using two materials - concrete representing "wet" and wood representing "dry," we've been trying to create a new architectural aesthetic.

Architectural Design Group project Team member: Chengkai Zhang Site: Los Angeles, the US Professor: Andrew Holder

Simple Machine Model

Calibrated Model

4

We Are

MAUNA KEA

PROJECT 4 | YEAR 4 Mauna Kea is the most sacred mountain to Hawaiian people, where the father sky meets the mother earth. In the last 50 years, 11 large astronomical telescopes have continued to be built on the summit of the mountain. And now, a larger-than-ever Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is going to be built on the summit of Mauna Kea,which has intensified the contradiction between astronomers and local dwellers. By building a museum, visitors will understand and respect each other's motivations and culture here, and realize that science and culture can coexist.

Architectural Design Individual Project Site: Mauna Kea, Hawaii, USA Supervisor: Xiaoran Huang

WE STAND WITH THE MAUNA KEA Hawiian's religion is very environmentally connected, their gods are living touching elemental forms that are the land, the rains, and the mist. The natives believe the construction of TMT is destroying their environment and blaspheming their gods.

There are other places astronomy can exist, there is no place else for us.

Constant Controversy

Native Protecter Protest against Giant Telescope In 2019,a group of native Hawaiians are risking arrest to peacefully block construction of the TMT on Mauna Kea. While it seems like a conflct between nodern science and traditional culture, it's actually an issue about tolerance and respect. Hawaiian ancestors had a deep love for the universe, just as the astronomers has the respect for the Hawaiian culture. They just need an opportunity to know and communicate with each other.

WE STAND WITH TMT

The peak of Mauna Kea is one of the best places in the world to observe the cosmos, which is why it has been selected as the future home of TMT. This massive nextgeneration ground-based telescope will discover from the moment of the first light in our universe to maybe answering questions about is there life on other planets.

TMT may help us answer the unsolved questions about the universe. We hope Hawaii can be the beacon of the world.

From separation to integration Museum of Native Culture

Plantarium

People who want to learn about Hawaiian culture will enter through this entrance. The museum will display traditional Hawaiian boats, handicrafts, totems, etc.The architectural form is inspired by traditional Hawaiian elements.

People who want to know about astronomy will enter through this entrance. The planetarium will display our universe, the origin of where we came from and the great achievements of the exploration of the universe.

Hawaiian Polynesian Tattoo Polynesian Artware Traditional House are used as the pattern are exhibited in the instructs the overall form of the architecture

on the wall

Polynesian Rigging Navigate by Stars techniques are used as the element of the atrium

museum of native culture

People from the two museums will come together in the atrium and look at Mauna Kea together in the next step. This is why the building looks like the letter Y

Love & Respect for the Universe

Polynesians ancestors are as use stars to orient on the polynesians oassionate as the sea astronomers for the universe

06 Roof of Shingles

05 Roof Structure

04 · PTFE Membrane Sail · Wire Rope · Nylon thread

03 Patterned Wall 02 Ground Floor

01 The Floor Trusses

Atrium

Observation Platform

In the evening, the atrium will become a huge platform for stargazing.

High altitude and thin clouds make it the best place to observe the universe. The supporters of native culture and the supporters of TMT will communicate with each other here, and they will find out they are sharing the exact same discussion about the universe.

At first, they were mutually exclusive and had their own positions and standpoints.

But at here they will try to understand and respect each other. They will find both of them love the universe deeply and believe that science and culture can coexist.

Atrium

Thread in the Sun

During the day, the atrium will become a place for people to enjoy the sun. The huge transparent colorful rope hanging above the atrium will be looking like a rainbow in the sunlight. Here people may feel the charm of the changing light and shadow, as well as the wonders of nature.

Find the midpoint of the four sides of the atrium.

Lift or press the midpoint to form a metal frame.

Rope the metal frame to the edge of the atrium.

The colors of the rope are selected from the Kanaka Maoli flag.

Form the complete thread net.

When the mechanical metal frame rises high, the thread net is used to watch.

When the thread net is lowered to a person's height, visitors can interact with it.

The Triangle

Toward the Sacred Mauna

Keel roof

At the end of the visit, visitors will come to a long triangular corridor facing the Mauna Kea, where they face the Mauna Kea and appreciate its solemnity and sacredness. Triangle is the gesture used by local people when they show respect to the sacred mountain.

The structure of the roof imitates the form of traditional Polynesian house. instead of thatching, I use local wood plates for roof surface.

Foundation support

Based on the principle of not damaging the local soil structure as much as possible, I make the building as light as possible and make the foundation shallow.

Membrane Sail connection detail

The connection between the giant triangular membrane and the main structure is relatively complex, because it has to bear huge tension and resist perennial erosion.

My thoughts and inspirations This project has changed my thinking on how architects should address social conflicts and problems. It’s very difficult for us to directly eliminate problems in a short period of time through physics. Instead, we can gradually change people’s psychological perceptions of problems in an implied, gentle or ironic way, just as good movies or literature do. This is because the contradiction revealed is always the representation of things, but the estrangement and misunderstanding between people is the primary cause of most problems.

5

LEST WE FORGET Museum of the Cultural Revolution PROJECT 5 | YEAR 3 We built a grass slope in front of the Imperial College to commemorate the people and art forgotten in the Cultural Revolution. There are two parts under the grass slope: Museum and the Library. In the museum, people will see those exhibits that have been made public for the first time, and in the library, people can voluntarily fly a balloon with their thoughts and feelings after the visit. These balloons will float up and be seen by the whole city.

Whenever we see these floating balloons and this dreamlike grass slope, we will remember the forgotten past.

Architectural Design Individual Project Site: The Imperial College, Beijing, China Professor: Yu Li, Pinghao Liu

SCHEME The tomb-like form of the architecture symbolizing the buried history of the Cultural Revolution. At the same time,the huge lawn emerged in the building forest is like a lost paradise. The rising balloons will form an uninterrupted monument, which will remind everyone who sees them of that history. The theme of this project is: death is not the end of life, forgetting is.

The Cultural Revolution was a mistake and a pity in Chinese history. A large number of excellent works of literature and art were destroyed during this period, and numerous excellent artists were persecuted and forced to suicide.

People had always avoided talking about this history, which caused the lost of fine culture and art.

The Imperial College was the highest school and education agency in ancient China. It was a symbol of knowledge and culture.

By making the park and the Imperial College share the same axis, the relationship between these two site is strengthened. Here the new and the old meet each other, and the forgotten knowledge and art get to be recalled.

1.Shared axis

2.No above-ground obstacles

3.Press the library and museum underground

4.Lift a slope as the visual focus

5.approaches to guarantee enough natural light

6.Put a sunken square on the side as the entrance

PART 1: THE MUSEUM The sunlight passes through a long lighting well with a layer of water to reach the floor of the museum.

The sparkling light and sandy land in the middle of the museum make the museum look like a dusty archaeological site. People can also see the balloons rising from the library through the gap in the roof.

Glass light well Linear exhibition area Permanent exhibition on sand Meditation rostrum Exhibits

EXHIBITS The exhibits are precious artworks that survived the cultural revolution. The exhibition halls on both sides are dimly lit, and most artworks are hung with thin lines to make people feel their fragility, preciousness and delicate balance.

Uncut version of Rickshaw Boy,few have seen it.

paintings of Lin Feng-mian, famous Chinese painter, whose works were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution

PART 2: THE LIBRARY

In this scene, a young girl was flying a balloon containing her thoughts, and an old man was watching quietly with tears in his eyes. This activity was not only the release of the depressed emotions of the old generation, but also the extension of the memory in the next generation.

A quiet circular reading space lies at the center of the library. The soft sunlight shines in, making it the brightest part of the whole building, adding a sense of sacred and solemn to this place. In the center of the roof, there is a circular hole, from here the balloons fly out, and water flow down.

My thoughts and inspirations This design removes a traditional design misunderstanding.

The ultimate thing people want to acquire in space is not the space itself, but the narrative and story expressed behind it.

Since people often do not experience space through planar graphs and profile maps, it is difficult to express this meaning through the traditional design process. In the meanwhile, design education today rarely thinks about design from this perspective. Therefore, I believe that designers should start thinking about space design from the way and angle that people perceive space. What we want to design is never space and structure but feeling experience.

6

Professional - NIO Intelligent Electric Car Park - Tianfu Centra Business Park

NIO Intelligent Electric Car Park - AECOM Type: Architecture/LandscapeArchitecture Location: Beijing Design Period:10/2021-12/2022 Role in team: Draw the site plan, several construction drawing and renderings. Designed the automatic driving experience zone, and run multiple tests to simulate real traffic conditions.

NIO Intelligent Electric Car Park is a comprehensive park in Anhui that combines factory operations, visitor experiences, and leisure facilities, aiming to become a World Class Main Base Of-Intelligent Electric Vehicles, Science and Innovation Application Zone, and Science and Innovation Talents Hub. In this project, I designed the circulation in the automatic driving experience zone, and run multiple tests and calculations to simulate real traffic conditions. I also designed the atrium of the Office, drawing inspiration from the traditional Chinese Huizhou architectural style. Additionally, I was in charge of the master plan, several floor plans, renderings(using Lumion), and construction drawings for both the Office and the Experience Center.

NIO Office

Pursuing the design principles of intelligence, flexibility, greenery, and community, we aimed to create an office space that seamlessly integrates work, fitness, leisure, and socializing. In my design, the atrium is serving as the heart of these multifunctional spaces, while embodying the concept of "Four Waters Converging in One Hall" in both functionality and form.

Experience Center

In the design of the Experience Center, we had proposed a concept of NIO “Circle”. It represents an open and future communication circle of the NIO culture as well as a circle for people’s life and office experience. When visualizing the Experience Center, I focused on thoughtful consideration of materials, lighting, and overall atmosphere to show it as a place where car buyers can go to be surprised and inspired, to touch and feel.

TL: Entrance of Experience Center TR: Experience Center's Wetland Landscape BL: Exhibition Space BR: Bulding Details

Construction drawings for the ground floor and second floor plans of NIO Intelligent Electric Car Park Experience Center

WATER

TIANFU CENTRAL BUSINESS PARK

The project is positioned as the 'Urban Living Room,' and set to host Chengdu's most central business and commercial activities with an advanced transportation system. Embracing the future city trend of 'Organic Habitat, Intelligent Humanity,' we have crafted the site's three main axes: the 'Cultural Axis,' 'Forest Axis,' and 'Water Axis.' This integration of urban and natural elements aims to create a paradigmatic showcase for a 'Park City.'

In this project, I independently completed the conceptual design and modeling for the Water Axis and the sunken plaza area, designed and modeled parts of the Forest Axis. Communicated with the architecture team to confirm the requirements of the commercial core area's building, while proposing landscape design suggestions. Additionally, I was in charge to draw the plan, produce several renderings (using Lumion), and draw several construction drawing.

- SWA Group Type: Landscape Architecture Location: The US Design Period: 10/2023 - now Role in team: Highly participated in the design from space concepts to modeling.Draw the plan, several construction drawing and renderings. Worked as an architecture consultant to comunicate with the architecture team and purposed landscape ideas.

TRANSPORTATION

CULTURE

CULTURE

FOREST

1

2

4 3 7

6

8

Phase Two

5

Areas I designed 1. Wave Park 2. Rain Garden 3. Flower Valley 4. Roof Park 5. Forest Trail 6. Great Lawn 7. Sunken Plaza 8.commercial ground floor

Sketches & Analysis Diagrams

Renderings

6

On the Great Lawn, visitors can enjoy a unique view of the core commercial area with the snowy mountains as the background.

7

The Sunken Plaza integrates leisure, business, subway entrances, and other functions.

5

The Forest Axis provides urban dwellers with a great destination for strolling, exercising, and connecting with nature.

8

The connection of the commercial ground floor and the park is creating a "park-style commercial scene".

AM Y YI QI NG ZHU UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

Master of Science in Design:Advanced Architectural Design yiqingzhu71@gmail.com | TEL: +1(267)593-5971