YUANKUN YU ARCH PORTFOLIO
CONTENTS THE INTERNSHIP JAN~AUG 2013 The 7-month internship experience in Perkins Eastman Shanghai office helped me to understand how architecture works in the real world and how to work with different people as a team.
THE ELEMENTALHAUS This is a fifth year individual thesis project aiming to create a model for sustainable intergenerational living. With a focus on gardens & farming, I utilized fengshui concepts and Asian culture into my design.
THE LINK
A Team of five with 2 fifth-year and 3 third-year architecture students explored an alternative pedestrian walkway to link the major landmarks in the downtown area of Kansas City.
THE LIBRARY This is a second year individual project which was designed without the aid of a computer. I modeled it later in the computer to generate better graphics conveying the design ideas.
THE MATRYOSHKA This is a third year individual project which was done in Revit Architecture. With the new experience of designing in the computer, structure and functions were emphasized in this project.
the internship SHANGHAI, CHINA
During my 7-month internship, I spent most of my time working on the RDFZ-Avenue school in Beijing from the end of the SD phase to the end of the DD phase. Foreign design firms can only work until the DD phase and local design institute(LDI) will take over the CD phase. I was involved in multiple tasks including faculty housing design, layout of restrooms and locker rooms, staircase design, graphic design of final documents, liaison of rendering firm and material firm, translation of meeting minutes, design briefs and other documents.
RDFZ-AVENUE SCHOOL AERIAL VIEW COPYRIGHT OF PE
LEGIBLE DIAGRAMS
GRAPHIC DESIGN BOOK FOR CLIENTS WITH COLORED LEGEND
BOOK FOR LDI WITH DETAILED SPECIFICS
the internship BEIJING, CHINA
RDFZ-Avenue School in Beijing was the most important design project executed in Shanghai. Our design principal Ron Vitale was in charge of this project while Meiling Honson was the project architect who lead a team of 4 group members to work on a daily basis. I devoted lots of time to design and modeled the faculty housing building on the left side of the rendering below. Also, I researched all the regulations and codes for staircases from International Building Codes and drew the DD drawings based on the rules.
RDFZ-AVENUE SCHOOL NORTHWEST VIEW COPYRIGHT OF PE
EAST ELEVATION
WEST ELEVATION
STAIRCASE MODELING AND MATERIAL CHOICES
STAIRCASE DD DRAWINGS IN PLANS & SECTIONS
the internship XI’AN, CHINA
For this urban planning project in Xi’an, I worked with design team studio 8 in NYC and I was the liaison for the communication between American designers and the local rendering firm. Although my main tasks were supervising the local rendering firm to produce accurate renderings, I also got to know the process and concepts in urban planning. Finally, Tommy(AP) and I put all the work together into a presentation file for our principal to deliver to Chinese clients.
RABBIT WARREN SOUTH ENTRANCE VIEW COPYRIGHT OF PE
DELIVERING COMMENTS AND IDEAS TO RENDERERS
AERIAL VIEW COPYRIGHT OF PE
BIRD EYE VIEW 1 COPY RIGHT OF PE
BIRD EYE VIEW 2 COPYRIGHT OF PE
the internship SHANGHAI, CHINA
My experience was very broad ranging from smaller projects like office renovation to large scale urban planning. Also, I got to communicate with many people playing different roles in the architecture industry such as clients, principals, material manufacturers, rendering workers and others. My daily work was not restricted to CAD drawings, it involved translation, concept design, model making, liaison and conference meetings. As an intern, I was assigned to design the back office storage area into a material library for employees one day. Also I was sent to Chengdu with Nick Leahy as a translator for the conference meeting with clients. I enjoyed my internship in PE and have a better understanding of professional world.
OFFICE LIBRARY DESIGN
BEFORE
AFTER
TRANSLATION OF PRESENTATIONS, MEETING MINUTES AND DESIGN DOCUMENTS
MODEL AND DESIGN FOR ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
CONFERENCE LUNCH CLASS
OFFICE MEAL
Bird Eye View of Rabbit Warren Copyright of PE
elementalhaus PIONEER SQ, SEATTLE
The goal for this project is to create a model for future intergenerational housing in the U.S. Through an entire semester of research, eleven of our studio members focused on different aspects of intergenerational living. Based on the design principles developed through the research process, each of us aimed to design an apartment building for target users with self-developed programs.
SOUTHWEST STREET CORNER VIEW
SITE ANALYSIS Located in the historic district of Seattle, most buildings around the site have brick facades. Keeping the tradition of context is important to consider.
Two buildings near the site are the major concerns of design. Both of them might block sunlight and views especially the east building, which is only 15 feet away.
The trees from Occidental park are almost 4-story-high, which provide natural view from the site. They make use of existing park and pedestrian walkways in design.
Target Users:
Traditional Chinese Housing Type1:
Traditional Chinese Housing Type2:
My main focus is on the Asian population of baby boomers, young couples with children since the international district is next to our site. Also people who love Asian culture are invited to live there.
Courtyard house is the typical Chinese housing for thousands of years. With open space in the center, it provides better interaction between family members and also it is more efficient use of land.
Earth House used to be the fortress for the large family protected by tall walls from intruders. With a round courtyard in the middle, the social center building is located in the center of an open courtyard for important activities of the family members.
INSPIRATIONS
elementalhaus PIONEER SQ, SEATTLE
Based on my culture background as Chinese, I tried to apply my understanding of fengshui principles as my design guidelines for the placement of major space. My focus on gardens and farming also help me to understand the different needs for my users. I established two courtyard gardens, one rooftop farming garden and one sun room as a community balcony gardens for the residents.
GARDEN TYPES
Rooftop Gardens
Courtyard Gardens
Balcony Gardens & Planter Gardens
Case Study: Eagle Street Rooftop Farm in Brooklyn NYC, a 6,000 square foot green roof organic vegetable farm.
Case Study: Tietgenkollegiet Dormitory in Denmark, takes its form from the traditional circle-shaped Tuloubuildings from Southeast China as a symbol.
Case Study: Stacking Green Cube House in Vietnam, creating a screen of plantings on the facade of building to absorb rainwater and ventilate the house.
Pros: adequate sunlight, better insulation and runoff protection, more privacy and safety.
Pros: larger planting such as trees, less maintenance and easy access for residents.
Pros: easy access for residents and low maintenance with watering, bring nature close to the units and circulating fresh air.
Cons: limited accessibility, extra layers of growing medium and heavier load for roof structure.
Cons: less sunlight if the building is tall, lack of privacy and safety with public access.
Cons: smaller size of plants based on the size of pots, visitors can see the plants but can’t really interact with them.
Suggestion: Rooftop garden is best suited for eatable plants such as vegetables or lettuces. Rooftop garden can hold rainwater as irrigation and cool the building during summer while insulating it for cold seasons
Suggestion: Courtyard garden will serve best as viewing garden or meditating zen garden.
Suggestion: Instead of creating individual balcony gardens, I choose to create a sun room with plenty of planters available at different heights for different users and they can interact with each other while growing the flower or veggies.
DESIGN PROCESS
Courtyard house
FENGSHUI PRINCIPLES
Pulling out
Filling in the gap
Adjusting space
Rainwater Collection
Metal: Atrium/Gathering Space
Water: Calming & Meditating Zen Garden
Fire: Dynamic Exercise Garden
Wood: Utilities/Community Kitchen
Earth: Community Gathering
elementalhaus PIONEER SQ, SEATTLE
Since I have divided my building into two complexes with a adultcare on the North and a childcare on the South. Due to the lacking of child daycare services, I create a child daycare not only for the residents but also for the neighborhood. Occupying two floors on the south, the child daycare is adjacent to a playground in the exercise garden. On the other hand, the Adult daycare is also open to the public next to the meditating garden.
CHILD DAYCARE CENTER DESIGN
LONGITUDINAL SECTION
WEST ELEVATION
DIAGRAMS OF SPACE LAYOUT
FIRST FLOOR PLAN
SECOND FLOOR PLAN
THIRD FLOOR PLAN
elementalhaus PIONEER SQ, SEATTLE
An important aspect of intergenerational living is how the unit layout can adapt to the change of the family configuration. Young couples will have more children while grandparents might move in to take care of those babies. My design solution is to provide opportunities for individual units to combine into a larger unit with more bedrooms. With main structure of columns and shear walls around staircases the residential floors are relatively flexible in terms of layouts.
FOURTH FLOOR PLAN
FIFTH FLOOR PLAN
BASEMENT FLOOR PLAN
FLEXIBLE UNIT LAYOUT
STRUCTURE DIAGRAMS
Studio unit Aim for young family without children or active babyboomers
Two-bedroom unit Most common unit type Aim for young family with children or seniors with care takers
2 two-bedroom individual units
Four-bedroom unit Partition wall connecting units with sliding doors provides opportunities for smaller units to combine into larger ones because of family member increase or the need for a care taker to move in
Five-bedroom combined unit
THE LINK KANSAS CITY, MO
A five-person team developed a master plan to re-energize the 670 corridor through downtown Kansas City by connecting the major nodes: the Sprint Center, Kauffman Center, KC Convention Center ballroom and KC Star Building. A phased extension connects other landmarks throughout downtown offering continuous pedestrian access through a homogeneous structure.
STRUCTURE
grid
rendered
TRANSVERSE SECTION SPANNING
grid
coffering
DECKING
grid
decking supports
THE LINK The link conveys a strong sense of movement in its overall plan and landscaping methodology. One can sense a transformation of a decrepit highway overpass into a well designed elevated experience.
LONGITUDINAL SECTION
COFFERING SYSTEM
DIAGRID
STREET DIETS
IT IS THEN TRANSFORMED INTO THE TRUSS SYSTEM. THE GREEN WAS USED TO DICTATE THE SOLID AND VOID OF THE STRUCTURE.
GRADE CHANGES WERE ADDED TO CONFORM TO THE LANDSCAPE AND A SENSE OF MOTION.
INFLUENCED BY THE GOLDEN SECTION, THE DIAGRID IS FORMED OFF A SIMPLE, MODULAR UNIT.
GATEWAYS
WALKABILITY
5-minute walking radius
THE LIBRARY HIGHLAND DALLAS,TX Located on the corner site, this building works as the community gathering center for the neighborhood. I designed a large set of stairs with water feature to create a public gathering space for the patrons and visitors. With the cafe on the top of of the stairs, it will be an ideal place for a lunch break or meeting with friends.
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
CIRCULATION
CORNER SITE
SECTION
OUTDOOR VS INDOOR
Building
Outdoor
Path
Indoor
OVERLAY SPACES
THE LIBRARY The Initial idea is based on a letter Y and further developed into this library building form. With the requirement of adult and kid reading areas, I placed the kids story room towards the street to attract more potential visitors while the adult reading area is away from the street for privacy.
NORTH VIEW THIRD FLOOR PLAN
SOUTH VIEW SECOND FLOOR PLAN Places like Dallas require shading for summer time, that is why I oriented the building at an angle to maximize natural light into spaces and provide shading for better reading experience inside the library. Outdoor reading space with shading is also an attribute for users.
MATRYOSHKA SOHO DISTRICT, NYC The goal of this project is to design a museum for one artist I am interested, in this case, Yayoi Kusama. Her artworks vary from closed room display to colorful sculpture pieces open to the natural light. I used a Russian doll as the concept to reveal the different stages of Kusama’s work.
SITE
CIRCULATION vertical circulation horizontal circulation
PARTI & USE service & open space served & semi-open horizontal circulation
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
served & close space
STRUCTURE shear walls glazing
MATRYOSHKA SOHO DISTRICT, NYC I tried to make the building facade into a scultpure itself and provide shading for pedestrians with its projection. The arrangement of space offers visitors a journey to understand different periods of her artworks. More surprising works are kept further inside of this building for protection from sunlight and also experience of exploring the inner world of Yayoi Kusama.
EXPLODED STRUCTURE
LIGHT STUDY MODEL
Artworks with closed and dramatic settings are like the inner most part of the Russian doll. Visitors need to walk and explore further into this building to find out the true beauty of her work.
THIRD FLOOR PLAN SOUTHEAST VIEW OF MODEL W/ SITE
Artworks with semi-closed and spacious settings are like the middle part of the Russian doll. Visitors start to understand the meanings of her work, but still, more interesting art pieces are ready to be revealed.
SECOND FLOOR PLAN SOUTHWEST VIEW OF MODEL W/O SITE
CAFE VIEW
Artworks with open and outdoor settings are like the outermost part of the Russian doll. Visitors are attracted by the exotic quality of her artworks and try to find out more about the reasons behind the scenes.
model&diagrams I enjoy building physical models in both the design process as well as the final product. Different scales of model also aid different stages of design. Small massing models are useful for schematic design to explore different forms while detailed models with facades or sectional models to explore the relationship with contexts and the functions of space within the building. Diagrams are the best media to express design ideas. I prefer to include diagrams to illustrate my concepts in an easy and memorable way.
CASE STUDY MODELING-BARNES HOUSE
DESIGN PROCESS WITH MODELING AND DIAGRAMMING
CIRCULATION
STRUCTURE
ENEVELOPE
photo&sketches Freehand sketches are crucial skills for architects. I always like to sketch ideas out before they fade away and it is much easier to draw ideas than actually model them in the computer. Architecture has been around much longer than computers and all the brilliant ancestors used hand drawings to create magnificent buildings.Traveling is one of my favorite leisure activities so I take photos of beautiful architecture and scenes. I also enjoy the diversity of different cultures I experience when traveling and getting to know more people and information.
DENVER ART MUSEUM
EASTERN VENICE WUZHEN
TEL:785-317-6541
EMAIL:CHINAYU@KSU.EDU