Architecture&UrbanDesign_Portfolio_YiwanZhao_2017-2023

ARCHITECTURE & URBAN DESIGN

WORK SAMPLES

YIWAN ZHAO

Columbia University GSAPP Master of Science in Architecture & Urban Design

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institue Bachelor of Architecture

Selected Architecture Works

2017 - 2023

PROLOGUE

Architecture is an art design using spatial language to solve issues. Envisioning a better society in the future under constantly updated technology, I express my understandings of the spatial, thoughts on social problems, and expectations to the future from architecture and urban designs.

My nine semesters of architecture and relevant design study at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute explore the boundaries of architectural design under urban context. I navigated the architecture methodology, spatial framework, environmental conditions, new material, and imagined space.

My attempts in divrse directions of architecture provided me with a bigger version of spatial designs. In this portfolio, I would like to use my interdisciplinary studies to explore architectural space, providing new strategical interventions to improve urban space.

Floating Garden & Book Hunter’s Point Library

Integrated Design Development Studio, Fall 2020

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Instructor: Lonn Combs

Site: 47-40 Center Blvd, Queens, NY 11109

Team: Yiwan Zhao, Lindsay Manning

The project is located along the riverbank of the Hudson River in Long Island City, which is a developing district with growing residents. Following the zoning planning in 2025 and the needs of the public culture center, the library provides an interior garden between floors for the citizens to contact the greens in all seasons and an open lobby for all-purpose exhibitions and cultural communication.

The project contains six floors, the total floor area is 16,500 sq. ft, and the overall height is 143 ft. Major program elements include the art lobby, library lobby, interior garden, cafe, studying areas, theaters, and utility spaces.

Two Systems

Elevate the Systems

Create an in-between Graden

Close the Open Garden Stable the structure

Curve the Envelope Introduce Void for Viewing

The project’s structure, originating from my Integrated Design Schematic Studio experience with Adam Dayem, divides the library into distinct zones. Following site analysis, I delineated a vibrant lower space, housing interactive features like art galleries and an auditorium, and an upper area tailored for serene study.

In harmony with the riverside greenery, both sections are elevated, fostering verdant pockets below and amidst them. This concept incorporates a unique sandwiched mini-park, offering a haven with a café and botanical garden, affording patrons a panoramic view of Manhattan’s skyline.

Furthermore, to infuse the design with visual intrigue, I integrated a curved envelope system and voids, enriching the architectural composition with geometric playfulness.

Tripode + Cantilever Structure Evaluation

The structure of the project is unique. It contains two-part, one is the tripod large column system for vertical flow. The circulation system of the staircase follows the angle of large columns and form a large oblique column with the vertical circulation of the elevator, which hides among the tripod structure.

The other structure is the horizontal truss structure sitting on the tripod. The tic-tac-toe shape steel trusses create a large opening lobby without columns in the central area of the library and divide the surrounding space into small rooms.

Detailed Structure

Three Main Programs

Two Structure Systems

Two Circulation Systems

Roof

142’ - 11”

Fifth Level 124’ - 02”

Forth Level 109’ - 00”

Third Level 64’ - 08”

Second Level 44’ - 11”

First Level 29’ - 09”

Ground 0’ - 00”

Section Drawing

Zoomed in Aerial Rendering Drawing - Air Garden

3

02

Air Complex Downtown Troy Apartment

Architectural Design Studio 4, Spring 2019

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Instructor: David Bell

Site: 299 Front St, Troy, NY 12180

Team: Yiwan Zhao, Jie Lai

The residential housing for downtown Troy proposal is an 87-unit building. It is an apartment designed for both college students and local residents. The project explores the relationship between urban society, strategies for changeable units, and introductions of sunlight and airflow. It contains six units types, restaurants, shops, and a gym.

The apartment is designed with walkable balconies facing the street for activity purposes, street shops with an opening in the first level to allow citizens to connect the local park, farmer’s market, and community, and different size changeable units for all-age dwellers. The “U“ shape apartment with the two “O” shape gaps provides better sunlight and air ventilation for the inside dwellers.

Open the lower parts of massing according to the street axis

Divide the upper part into six units groups; Adjust the unit heights for the best view of the Hudson River

Pull out the face to invite visitors to enter; Create void on upper parts to form a “U“-shape apartment

Create vertical voids for the need for circulation & ventilation

Connection

The design concept of the housing is “connection“. This apartment not only served as a dormitory for students in RPI but also as an activity-holding space and youth apartment for local people.

Therefore, in order to strengthen the connection between dwellers, the apartment uses the communal spaces between units as public space programs.

Interior Rendering at Roof Balcony

Interior Rendering at Air Lounge

Each unit has a unique height;

The difference of levels creates various sights of view for dwellers.

The differences in staircases improve the fun of simple circulation

The switched voids provide platforms for residents to communicate

1/64” = 1”

Program Diagram

Located beside the historical blocks in downtown Troy, the apartment’s ground floor serves as a commercial space connecting the street level and park level of different heights.

Both the rooftop balcony and verticle air duct space design increase the communication between neighbors.

Sectional Model 1’ = 1/8”

Physical Model 1’ = 1/32”

1/32” = 1”

Riverbankside Pedestrian Rendering

Exploded Floor Diagram

Expansion of Fucha:

Reclaiming the Sabana

Urban Design Studio III, Spring 2023

M.S. AUD, GSAPP, Columbia University

Instructor: Kate Orff, Geeta Mehta, Adriana Chavez, Thad Pawlowski, Dilip Da Cunha

Special Advisor: Hugo Sarmiento, GSAPP Urban Planning Program

Site: Fucha River, Bogotá, Colombia

Team: Yiwan Zhao, Haoyu Zhu, Qiannan Guo, Zicong Liu

Our project deploys a rezoning strategy to reclaim, revive, and revalue waterbodies in Sabana Plain of Bogota to create a robust and stable urban ecology at the waterfront. It creates financial opportunities, treats wastewater, and restores wetland ecology. People can only appreciate the value of these water bodies if they are aware of the importance of clean and safe water.

We therefore design the Fucha River as a new self-purifying water-holding system, connecting existing low grounds and remnant wetlands with the river. In the process, we bring value to the waterfront, break the barriers created by the current river’s concrete channel, increase job opportunities, and densify housing in Bogota city.

Sabana Plain 1970s Begining of Suburban Development

Large Urban Expansion

Decrease of Natural Resources

“This wetland did not exist… the women built it like a phoenix rising from the ashes.”

“They [elders that built up informal communities like Soacha] have left us a lot of good wisdom, but we have to find a way to stay together [now, with the current moment’s challenges.]”

Further Urbanization

“People come from all over the country. There is no sense of belonging in Bogota so people don’t take care of Bogota.”

“This place lets people come right to the ecological door… and learn to love the wetland and see its purpose.”

Quote from Local Comunity, Education Institute, Government, & NGO’s Stakeholders

Dora

Wilson

“Water infrastructure is prone to corruption.”

Waterbody Pollutions Map

Historical Map 1: Disappear of Sabana

(Rio Fucha & Rio Bogotá)

Here we want an environmental classroom, and to build some nurseries and orchards. [This is how we change] the imagination of the people.

“There’s

‘There is a sustainability problem (nature under threat by city) and a resilience problem (cities under threat by nature).”

“Our wetlands are a guarantee of climate resilience, yet for many years we have seen these systems transformed into concrete and brick structures.”

“Greening women trains women to care for the environment… but we can’t always put the onus of ‘care’ on women.”

“ The recycling waste ends up in the canal and the accumulation of garbage in this area has helped to flood when there are rainy seasons”

“[We] cannot open the Tibanica wetland more because of the lack of culture around its care and value.”

Fucha River & Canals

Pollutions Categories

Direct Sewarage Disposal

Domestic Waste Disposal

Diego

Maria

no such thing as a “natural” disaster...It’s the decisions we make that creates a disaster”

Industry Pollution

Historical Map 2: Appearance of Industry

Informational Diagrams of Vulnerable Water System

RIO FUCHA | Design Strategy

We propose using the Rio Fucha as a new retention system to link the canals, wetlands, and rivers and restore the Sabana Plain. Technical term abbreviations are always explained when first used. The language must be objective and free from ornamental or figurative features. This will create a more sustainable and resilient urban ecological system. Additionally, we will reconnect the water bodies to enhance ecological functions.

Our main concept here is to extend the river bank and transform the concrete canal into a natural landscape with softening materials and imporved green infrastructure. And above all, incorporate this setting into the city landscape and make it easily accessible to the community.

Cutting Off the Untreated Water Expansion of River Body

Rio Fucha in 2080

Rio Fucha in 2023

Rio

Rio Fucha River Bond

Rio Fucha in 2030

Rio Fucha in 2050

Design Strategies

The original isolation of the Fucha river will be dissolved, and the riverfront will connect the exisiting community green areas together. The riverfront will be trasnformed into a new urban wetland, which will encourage the residents to gather and purify the water of the Fucha river to a certain extent. Meanwhile, the wetland inside the city attracts commercial investment to the riverbank, which will make the life quality of surrounding neighborhood to be improved.

Proposing Zonning Plan

Satellite Map in 2023

Section in 2023

Section in 2050

Rendering Plan

Aerial View of Future Rio Bogota

Prototype 2: Preservation Parks

Zonning Plan

Rendering Plan

Satellite Map in 2023

Several aquatic nurseries will be also developed near the river bank, which makes the plants be provided to other place once they are matured. Inorder to connect the site with the neighborhood, we will also develop community gardens at the corder, which could not onlt provide more food sources for the residents but also giver then an opportunity to learn more about the nature and realize the importance of natural resource preservation.

Wetland

Aquatic Nursery

Community Garden Transition

Our design is focusing on the highly polluted segment along the Fucha river. Because both illegal domestic sewerage and untreated waste water from butcher or recycle center are directly connected to the river, it is necessary to cut off the relase and regulate immediately.

The strategy is to add water After regulated the water infrastructure mixed-used secondary industry

Zonning Plan Rendering

Prototype 3: Water Purification Parks

Satellite Map in 2023

water purification infrastructure before the wastewater drain into the river. infrastructure system, the primary industry factories could upgrade into industry zones.

Design Programs in Water Purification Parks

Transition Steps in Water Purification Parks

Abolitionist Future: Atlanta Towards Care

Urban Design Studio II, Fall 2022 M.S. AUD, GSAPP, Columbia University

Instructor: Emanuel Admassu, Regina Teng, A.L. Hu, Nina Cooke John, Chat Travieso, Jelisa Blumberg Site: Forest Cove Apartment, Atlanta, GA

Team: Sanya Verma, Saloni Shah, Yiwan Zhao, Zicong Liu

Too often we approach the question of whether we need prisons with the question of “How do we prevent and respond to crime?”.

The problem with this question is that it blurs crime and harm into one category and allows us to ignore all the harm that isn’t categorised as crime.

We redefine harm as a commodity of property which has been historically used for destabilizing already struggling communities.

People Facing Rental Burden Housing Units Shortage

18% People In Poverty

No. of Public Housing Projects

SummerHill community was moved away due to Olympics

The 1996 Atlanta Olympics Game lead to the real estate gross in Atlanta. Many public housing project was replaced by commercial residential programs.

1% Families Get Vouchers

First family moved to Forest Cove Apartment in 1972 (public housing)

HOPE VI Program

Atlanta Olympics Game Demolishment of public housing

0.2% Families Get Subsidies

Who Are Marginzed in Atlanta Housing Program?

People facing housing shortage with more than 30% medium income ( > $1450 per month)

People with Crime Record - Severe record for Section 8 - Any record for AH program

Vouchers Are Used Vacant

Prisons have already formed economic complex that feed tehmselves to reproduce and cycle.

However, because of lack of preservation strategies and bad material during construction Forest Cove Apartment quickly turned into one of the worst neighborhoods in Atlanta city.

Drug dealers, fire shots and fights happen here everyday.

In October 2022, the last family moved out the apartment

News

Our design strategy is about reimagine the neighborhood after prison being abolished. We are aiming to turn the space of harm into the space of care after so many tragedies happend in this area, the area for minority: colored people that enrolled into the injusticed prison complex.

Providing people with the basic infrastructure walls, we break down the rigid streets that designed only for cars in the past, asking the local people to build their own clusters by themselves. Meanwhile, when people forming their own housings, shared public space will created when the residential areas grows, just like Chawls marketed in India or Hutong formed by Courtyard House in China.

Publically owned wall

Privately owned wall

Reshape the ownership of property

By studying the traditional vernacular architecture complexs, we reinterpret the relationships of apartments and growth of communities in Forest Cove.

Breaking down the exisitng urban fabric reciprocating the Prison Industrial Complex enabling the harm it inflicts on the communities like overpolicing, surveilence, unequal access to welfare functions like healthcare, education and nutrition.

Evaluation Proccess of Prison

Community Scale

Neighborhood Scale

Cluster Scale

Community plan

Forest Cove used to be an affordable housing complex since 1970s. Due to the HOPE six program in 1990s, housing project in Atlanta constantly displaced and changed, which led to the community being destroyed.

Creating infrastructure for support circles for women. These circles would enable women to offer care to each other in forms of informal healthcare, nutrition and education.

Prison and policing have expanded and absorbed the functions of other institutions of social welfare.

Shifting the question to “How do we prevent and respond to harm?” broadens our analysis. While focusing on crime only allows us to consider the behaviour of individuals, looking at harm enables us to include the ways in which violence is perpetuated structurally and culturally.

Uninstitutionalizing healthcare and creating infrastructure where therapy, and medical aid is universal would take a step towards redefining care.

Streets are one of the major spaces of harm for the youth. A lot of kids and teenagers lack percieved and safe access to the streets.

The youth centres will be a safe spaces for youth where they don’t just get education but also get spaces to practise their interests and can also function as daycare.

Transforming the structures of society as well as our relationships with each other, where the communities dont depend on the institutions for care.

Common kitchens and dining as places for binding the communities over food.

If someone in a household is sick or a household is struggling to put food on the table, the food hubs would offer aid to the families.

Collage images of Caring Space in this neighborhood

01.

02.

04.

03.

05.

Women Support Circles

Health Centres

Peacemaking Centres

Youth Centres

Food Hubs

Some of our neighbours Need a little extra help to put food on the table

My neighbours have family visiting from overseas, I am cooking to help them with extra food!

The dining table is where we all come together everyday

Plan of neighborhood that self-constructed and self caring

It is nice to have a small clinic nearby to do my physical therapy. Just 5 minutes of walking!

Oh, George?

Oh, hey, Ericson. Come down, have a walk with me! You need more exercise.

SECONDARY

Household

Hi, Alexandra, next Monday will be my 65th birthday, do you want to come over?

Oh, hi, Gabrielle, sure! I am in the spiritual center now, do you need me to book the center that day for you? Let me check!

Xintian Middle School

Intern | AREP |SD Design

Intern project, Feb - June 2021

AREP CHINE Architecture Design Consulting Co., Ltd.

Project Location: Caidian, Wuhan, China

Supervisor: Cyrille Hugon

Mentor: Yazhen Luo

Rhino / Grasshopper / PS / AI / GIS / Powerpoint

Site Situation

The site is situated in the Sino-French town extension area, and the site’s south a fifty-meter metro control line in 2035. are two green corridors located on both the base, one for the city plaza and the the shared park in the residential area.

The current conditions inside the analyzed, revealing that the northwest fields and woods, while the south and consist mainly of village texture.

The site profile reveals that the the northwest corner of the site is experiences significant changes in elevation.

Conversely, the terrain in the south relatively flat, with minimal changes in

Surrounding Site Analysis

Sino-French Peninsula south side is 2035. There both sides of the other for area.

site were northwest corner is and east sides terrain in is low and elevation.

and east is in elevation.

Leaf Vein

Pros:

Cons:

- The playground is set at a high place;

- The sunken terrain could be used as a rain garden;

- The buildings could shape the street skyline.

- The west facing buildings are less energy efficient.

The architecture is formed like a “water vein”, which flows according to the terrain and extends to both sides to varying degrees, presenting a natural and flexible form.

Iterations Models

Zoomed in Facade Rendering Drawing

Roof Rendering Drawing

The Leaf Vein School Design is directed by Chang Zhang, a professional school architecture designer in AREP CHINE. The scheme’s architectural form resembles a flowing vein of water, generated by a unified logic that accommodates various functional needs. The design cleverly utilizes topography and connects different functional blocks through a series of north-south transportation spaces. Additionally, the building effectively shields the playing field from street noise.

In order to maximize the integration of landscape resources into the teaching space, given that Shih Lake is situated to the north of the site, the scheme contemplates an overall layout characterized by higher elevation to the south and lower elevation to the north. Accordingly, portions roof are designed with slopes to create a varied and harmonious architectural profile, thereby providing additional classrooms with scenic vistas.

Qiantang Hub Architectural Conceptual Design

Intern | AREP |Competition

Intern project, Feb - June 2021

AREP CHINE Architecture Design Consulting Co., Ltd.

Project Location: Hangzhou, China

Supervisor: Hao Xue | Mentor: Ruiyu Fan

Rhino / Grasshopper / PS / AI / InDesign / Powerpoint

In this competition, I worked a lot on axon coding of urban volumes generation.

diagrams and grasshopper

This project is a highway station TOP design for Qiantang Hub in Suzhou. The design had kept plenty landscapes of farmland, and connecting the center of park public service with the center of transportation by green corridors.

Grasshopper Coding of Urban Volumes Generation

The “Double Heart Metropolis“ Design Principle

The primary objective of this design is to enhance the chosen areas by establishing a transportation hub.

According to the passenger flow of the station, the hub is put into the online and offfline waiting halls.

The development volume is arranged on both sides of the high-speed rail line to make full use of the traffic advantages.

The HSR will enhance the connectivity and integrity of the city through adding a plate cover over the station. Additioanlly, several functional space such as commercial, exhibition, conference, and outdoor activities will added to enhance its vibrancy.

At the same time, the development of the waiting hall on the line and the platform outside the station will utilize the retiring platform to maximize the introduction of natural light.

Circulation Diagram of Single Highway Hub Phase I

Station Generation

Line Side Devepoment

Slab Devepoment

Circulation Diagram of Highway-Railway TOD Center Phase II

07

Mycelium Pavillion

New Material Study & Construction

Architectural Design & Construction Studio 5, Summer 2019 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Instructor: Gustavo Crembil, Mae-Ling Lokko

Site: Greene Building, 110 8th St, Troy, NY 12180

Team: Allison Daboval, Becca Daily, Caiyu Zhang, Isabel Vineyard,Jillian Hurley, Maddie Steinmetz, Meghan Shirley, Merry Chu,Paul Griminger, Renwen Yu, Yaoxin Chen, Yiwan Zhao, Yuchen Zhu

Rhino / Grasshopper / 3D Printing / Vray

The temporary pavilion made by Mycelium is an experimental construction studio by Gustavo and Mae-Ling. The pavilion was built in front of the building of the School of Architecture in RPI.

It costs three months for our team of 13 students with 2 instructors to design the shape, study the material, and construct it. The whole process is an investigation of green materials. The material of mycelium, the “root“ of fungi, is light, cheap, and elastic for mold shape.

We tested whether this new bio-material can replace the glue used in composite material, and compared its strength with 3D printing models.

Mycelium Material Study

Cultivation of Mycelium

Mycelium is the root-like structure of fungi.

It has great potential in the field of sustainable construction as it can be used as a binder between waste biomaterials. Compared to cement, it is a biodegradable biomaterial with good characteristics of low emissions, light density, sound and heat insulation.

However, the cultivation of mycelium in milkwork requires restrict sterilization and envrionment.

Mixed the mycelium with starch and water in a ratio of 64: 12: 6. The mycelium we used has already mixed with sawdust fibers.

Place the mixture in a bucket and seal. Mycelium can be molded into any shape. The first stage of growth takes about 7 days. Then, remove the mold, cut it in half and grow it for another 3 days.

Dry the bricks for 4 days. If the bricks become contaminated during the growing and drying process, they will lose their strength or begin to rot, which means that they cannot be used.

Considering the loss of mycelium in the middle of the mold making process, the limited time available for fabrication in the course, and the strength of the final material, a series of experiments and explorations of assembly were conducted.

The final decision was made to use a less-bricky assembly method due to the lack of mycelium bricks and change of design.

Fungi

Mycelium

Starch Water Sawdust

Bucket Pipe

Dehydration

Demo Physical Model

Mycelium with sewdust

Growing mycelium

Mycelium bricks

To minimize the pressure of the pavillion’s weight on the lower brickwork, we opened up the top of the building and added timber frame supports.

While stabilizing the pavillion build in the most materialefficient way, we chose a crescent-shaped base.

Component Connection Evaluation

The way the bricks are put together references the pattern of the soccer skin connection. Through different sets of diverse size triangles the existing pattern is finally formed. At the same time, in order to avoid the reduction of strength caused by drilling holes, we linked the individual bricks with strips of wood and wire.

Connection Method

Component Connection Study

This studio use common building garbages such as bucket, pipe, sawdust, wood beams and compresed wood pieces to create a lowcost pavillion. However, due to the lack of qualified mycelium bricks, the final pavillion is only half of the final design. By 2022, it is the biggest mycelium temporary pavllion.

Photo of Connected Pieces Test

Photo of Connected Brick

Photo of In Pavillion with Supports

Paper Model Stage I

Sponge Model Shape Studies

Rigid Model Renderings

Photo of Rigid Model

Study of Dweller

Slit House Material Form Study

Architectural Design Studio 2, Spring 2018

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Instructor: Rhett Russo

Individual Studio

Rhino / Maya / Recap 360 / Model Making / PS

“Slit House” is a single house project for two individuals. Sparked by a photo by Thomas Geteller, I embarked on a series of sponge shape studies delving into the “invisible interaction of force in physics.”

The curvy shape of sponges generate the final form of the residence, that characterized by a double-curved bunky solid with a transparent narrow opening.

Photo of Structure Study Models & Final Model

The Lost City of Wuhan: Mixed Reality Theater

Final Project, Fall 2021-Spring 2022 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Instructor: Hseng Tai Lintner,Even Douglis

Site: Hubu Lane, WUhan, Hubei, China

Rhino / Enscape /PS / Unreal Engine / PR

Drawings

Architectural Sketch & Urban Studies

Selected Architecture & Urban Design Works