Yuxin Hu_Architecture Portfolio by yukihu

ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO

Selected Work: 2021-2025

YUXIN HU

Application for Architectural Internship

HU RIBA Part Ⅱ

2024.09-2026.07 (expected) 2019.09-2023.07

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON, BARTLETT SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, MArch Architecture RIBA Part2

UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM, NINGBO, CHINA BEng (Hons) Architecture RIBA Part1

Average Mark: 71/100 (First Class) Overall Ranking: 1% (1/47)

Working Experiences

2024.03-2024.07

Foster + Partners

Architectural Assistant (Student Intern), Studio5

Content: background research and analysis, building design & landscape design, modelling, rendering,

Awards & Certificates

RIBA President Medal Bronze Award Nominated Entry

UNNC Provost's Scholarship (5%)

UNNC President's Scholarship (1%)

The Best Performer of the Year

Researching Urban Memory in China

Content:

and

Space Syntax in Improving the Healthcare Space and Layouts in China

Digital Humanity Project for Historic Buildings Yangtze River Delta Horizontal Metropolis

Exhibition & other Design Practice

What Makes a City, Yinzhou Incity Ningbo Annual Art Season Exhibition Designer

2022.02-2022.06

UNNC High Street Renovation Project

City Walk & other Activities

2020.03-2020.07

Ningbo Old Bund City Walk Event Planner & Docent Making Memory in City Exhibition Curator & Designer 2022 UNNC Architecture Week Event Planner & Designer Ningbo Urban Memory Lab

Computer Skills 2019-2020

UNNC Dream Scholarship Tokyo Urban Meditation Carbin Compitition Short-listed Award

Publications

Spatial Design and Layout Optimization of Acupuncture Rooms Based on Medical and Nursing Needs Chinese Hospital Architecture & Equipment, 2021,22(12):34-39.

Outstanding Volunteer in Regional Admission Fair Regular Volunteer of Chunhui Primary School

Outstanding I-week Leader of UNNC

Yuxin

Tutor: Dr. Yat-Ming Loo

historic building research; exhibition design; graghic

booklet design; city walk planning

Tutor: Dr. Jun Lu

Dr. Jun Lu

Tutor: Ms. Yimeng Wang

Tutor: Dr. Jing Xie

RealityCapture

Tutor: Dr. Andrea Palmioli

I always believe that architecture and humanity are inextricably linked. Getting into details, architecture is sensory; space, materiality and light are to create subtle atmospheres evoking personal memories and emotions. Connecting to urban context, it is also largely influenced by historical background and social variation over time.

Therefore, the projects that I did are more or less related to the humanistic perspective of architecture, under the premise of fulfilling overall function and sustainability consideration. Affected by phenomenology theory, I am used to take human perspective into consideration when designing to make building enjoyable for experiencing. Additionally, I also drew inspiration from corelative social issues as well as collective memories of citizens.

At the moment, I am honored that you can open this carefully crafted portfolio, taking the journey of architecture with me.

REWILDING: TOWARDS A NEW CHAPTER

03 THE STORY OF PIERS 02 THE FOOD SCENE: PAST AND PRESENT

EARTHQUAKE GUIDEBOOK

Art and Archive Center

Monument, Exhibition, Production

Residential, community centre Private House

When you put a seed into the ground, you are not looking to the past, but toward a future from which you do not expect immediate results.

– Gilles Clément

Urbanization in China & The Dilemma of Birds

in

Ancient China: the Worship of Birds

Birds are considered as the "spaceship" that carries the sun's rising and setting, the medium of communication between human and gods . People painted bird textures on ceremic containers used in ritual activities to offer sacrifices to gods.

Rewilding: Towards a New Chapter of Baiwanzhuang

Residential, Community centre

Year4 Academic Project; Individual Work (In Progress)

Tutor: Izaskun Chinchilla Moreno, Daniel Ovalle Costal

Located in historic 'Baiwanzhuang' neighborhood in central Beijing, China, the project transforms an underutilized public site into a dynamic cross-generational co-living community . The design strategy centers on fostering symbiotic relationships with urban nature. Key features such as bio-sensitive secondary façade system, bird tower, rooftop terraces, and open winter gardens are integrated to promote everyday encounters with nature and spontaneous interspecies interaction.

The project also embraces a sensitive approach to retrofitting, using rewilding principle to enhance existing brick-masonry buildings, while introducing lightweight, demountable structures that minimize environmental impact. Internally, spatial flexibility is prioritized by reducing partition walls and incorporating modular, movable furniture systems, allowing residents of different ages and lifestyles to shape their own living environments.

By intertwining ecological renewal, spatial adaptability, and intergenerational living, this project proposes a new architectural model for socially resilient and environmentally responsive urban regeneration in Beijing and beyond.

Before Modernization: two methods of coexistence

Method1: people accept birds to build nests around their homes, who are at the same time totally free in the city.

Method2: birds live on trees, separately from human's movement area.

Nowadays: Unequal Relationship

The reduction of green space and the demolition of ancient buildings has reduced these shared spaces, decreasing such coexistence, thus leading to an unequal relationship between human and birds.

HUMAN

comfortable place to live

edible bird's nest; natural fertilizer; reducing damage of injurious insect to crops and greenery

......

(This project is currently ongoing as part of 2024-25 academic year. The work presented here reflects the current development stage.)

BIRDS

air quality improvement; thermal regulation; noise reduction ecological balance watering & fertilizing

a Self-sustaining Ecosystem

PLANTS

disperse seeds; natural fertilizer

provide shelter; fruits and seeds as food

provide nectar and pollen

pollinators facilitate reproduction; enriching the soil

primary food source

INSECTS

On-site Condition & Revonation Sequence

Problem3: The Aging Population an urban dip in elevation a potentially suitable place for birds to roost here

Factors of the Aging Problem in old communities

- Original residents have aged in place and prefer to stay due to familiarity with the neighborhood and strong social connections.

- Limited new housing development and high housing costs in established communities has led to a lower influx of younger residents.

More and More Elderly Living Alone

- Declining birth rates result in diminishing family sizes and fewer children to provide companionship.

- Housing limitation make multi-generational living less common.

- Changing social norms emphasize independence in old age; urban migration leads younger generations to move away for work.

Increased Depressive Symptoms among the Elderly

Loss of important relationships can lead to feelings of emptiness and depression. The elderly people want to continue their peaceful routine days, maintaining strong ties with their small social networks.

Refurbish where possible, Demolish where necessary, further Enhance with new build

The design follows a "refurbish where possible, demolish where necessary, and then further enhance with new build" approach to balance sustainability and functionality. Existing brick-masonry structures are preserved and upgraded to retain cultural memory and reduce waste. New interventions are strategically added using lightweight, modular systems to introduce ecological performance and spatial innovation.

Existing Main Problems:

- illegal self-built infrastructures; disorder function

- enclosed facade; insufficient sunlight

- lack of centralized public space for outdoor activities

Maintain the main parts of most historical value; Leave enough space at the central as core outdoor gathering spaces, for suffienct sun explosure and outdoor activities; Take down illegal self-built infrastructures Open

the most of the ground floor level; Insert bird tower

new constructions for more co-living population, using more sustainable construction materials

Inserting the landscape

Demolishing

2. Retrofitting

Add New Construction

Integration

5. Inserting Flexible Boxes & Biofriendly Secondary Facade System

Baiwanzhuang Community

Problem1: Self-built Infrastructures

Problem2: Broken Facade

Building Programme: the Cross-Generational Co-Living Center

Cross-Generational Co-Living Mode

The Cross-Generational Co-Living Mode is a new housing concept that fosters no-blood-related mutual support , where the elderly share wisdom and life skills, while younger residents provide digital assistance and daily help. This mode is suitable due to the aging population fact and the familycentered societal norms in China. Activities like communal gardening, cooking, and cultural events strengthen bonds, reduce loneliness, and create an inclusive, interdependent and supportive environment that enhances well-being for all generations.

MAIN USER GROUPS

- Gain companionship, reducing loneliness and isolation

- Engage in family activities like childcare and cooking again, ehancing sense of fulfillment

- Receive assistance with technology and daily tasks

- Pay lower rent while enjoy a stable and home-like environment

- Learn valuable life skills from older generations; receive assistance with childcare and daily tasks

- Develop a deeper sense of empathy and social responsibility

INTERACTIONS

BETWEEN GROUPS

- A relaxed social space that fosters neighborly ties and cross-age engagement.

Multi-generational participation in care and observation of birds, fostering natural healing.

Main Entrance

A. Activity Center + Bird Tower

B. Co-living Unit (Retrofit)

C. Co-living Unit (Newly-built)

D. Courtyard

Elderly who Used to Live Alone

Elderly

Students Children Birds

Young Migrant Couples

Students

- Sharing food and experiences, the most frequent site of intergenerational communication.

Morning exercises, chatting, playing chess

Birdwatching, sunbathing, gardening

Cooking, teaching traditional recipes to the young

Organizing community events & performances

Ecological observation, recording bird behavior

Learning to cook, helping elderly with meals

Running, playing games

Playing, learning about plants

Parent-child interaction

Nesting, foraging

Nesting, foraging, bathing

Key Space1: Activity Centre + Bird Tower

Key Space2: Winter Garden

Key Space3: Flexible Shared Space within Living Unit

Flexibility within Housing

Inspiration: Flexibility in Living Alleys ('Hutong')

Using Furniture and Curtains for Separation

Reducing partition walls and using furniture or curtains for separation in residential interiors enhances spatial flexibility , improves natural light and ventilation , and fosters a more open, connected living environment. This approach also allows for adaptable layouts, better space utilization, and a sense of warmth and fluidity within the home.

Vendors Selling Tea

Spatial Flexibility in Balcony

Playing with Birds

Hair Cutting Playing Chess

Historical Reference

Co-living 2F Balcony - Open for Socialization

Co-living 2F Balcony - Close for Privacy

Retrofit through Rewilding: Secondary Bio-friendly Facade

A. Facade of a young migrant couple

The façade enhances the interaction between human and nature. It not only provides non-human species with new homes in cities, but also acts as in-between spaces that can generate informal activities within the community.

Bio-diversity

A Home for Birds

It supports biodiversity by providing safe nesting spaces , aiding species like swifts. Birds naturally control pests, reducing pesticide use. Their presence encourages ecological balance and promotes environmental awareness.

A Home for Insects

It offers habitats for pollinators like bees and butterflies through perforated bricks. Their presence promotes soil health through nutrient cycling, supporting urban biodiversity and plant reproduction.

A natural temperature regulator

Plants naturally regulate temperature by cooling through shading and transpiration, insulating buildings to save energy, and improving air quality. They enhance humidity, purify air, and promote mental well-being.

Practices

Self-sufficient in growing vegetables

It provides residents with a space to grow self-sufficient vegetables which is fresh and accessible. It also promotes the shared economy opportunities and bottom-up initiatives within the community

a Gathering Corner

At the ground floor, the structure provides an informal space for residents to gather , having meals or playing chess together. This encourages the interaction within the neighborhood.

B. Facade of an old man who lived here since born

Human

Construction Details for Retrofit Facade

Rainwater Collection System

ROOF CONSTRUCTION

1. Roof tiles on fixed tohorizontal battens, oncounter battens

2. Breathable sarking membrane

3. Rafter fully filled with insulation between

4. Gutter with water-proof membrane

5. Rainwater collection & purification equipment

6. Reinforced Concrete Beam

7. Plasterboard panels

Clay brick wall

Thermal Insulation with steel studs

Air cavity

Red brick cladding

8. Steel bracket

9. Vertical light steel joist

10. Steel Tube, 80 dia. x 5 mm circular hollow section

11. Water pipe with plantation container

12. Openable security window with bird feeders

13. Water tank

14. Ceramic swift nest fixed on steel joist

15. Ceramic pot fixed on steel joist

16. Bee brick

17. Outdoor Air-conditionor Unit with waterproof baffle

18. Thermoblock

19. DPM (damp proof membrane)

20. Gutter with water-proof membrane

Rainwater Collection & Pre-purification Equipment

BALCONY CONSTRUCTION

21. Batten joiner strip

Timber Truss

Adjustable direct fixing brackets

22. Retractable table fixed to the window sill

23. Concrete Slab

Waterproof membrane

Rigid thermal insulation

Timber floor tile

24. Skirting line

original structure (brick & concrete)

secondary steel structure

bio-friendly design components

Food is not rational. Food is culture, habit, craving and identity. – M.F.K. Fisher

On-site Condition: Rice+

the Food Scene

Past and Present

Monument, Exhibition, Production

Year3 Academic Final Project; Individual Work

Tutor: Jing Xie, Jun Lu, Wenjuan Li, Yiling Zhang

The celebration of food as a tradition has a long history in China. Temples, in a courtyard form, have witnessed the whole history of ceremonial rites associated with food, from early sacrifices and offerings to later temple market fairs. However, with the development of biology and technology in modern times, food is gradually losing its connection with ceremony. Meanwhile, modern architecture pays little attention to its spiritual meanings . The question rises as how contemporary architecture can restore the ceremonial and spiritual needs of the community.

The design focuses on the concept of rice and intends to celebrate the whole process of food production, from farming to end products, in the consideration of both past and present contexts. Through translating traditional built forms in China, the design tries to bring ceremonial and spiritual qualities back into architecture. The whole building offers multisensory performance stages, where people will immerse in various scenes of food productions, roaming between indoor and outdoor, between past and present, thereby creating an inclusive and vibrant neighborhood.

The design focuses on the concept of rice and intends to celebrate the whole process of food production, from farming to end products, in the consideration of both contexts. Through translating traditional built forms in China, the design tries to bring ceremonial and spiritual qualities back into architecture. The whole building offers multisensory performance stages, where people will immerse in various scenes of food productions, roaming between indoor and outdoor, between past and present, thereby creating an inclusive and vibrant neighborhood.

(This work got the 2023 RIBA President Medal Bronze Award Nominated Entry)

Food & Ceremony

Compared with bustle and hustles in open market, the monumental tower is an emotional filtration, while connecting the scenes of present (three modern productions cores) to stories of past. The skylight is the translation of 'Zhong Liu' ( 中霤 ) in Ancient China, which also serves as the storage for wine.

Open Market

Formality & Informality

In ancient sacrificial activities, the semi-open space of courtyard was for observation. While in this building, informal activities of selling, relaxing and chatting happens in these grey spaces.

Three productions cores at the same time are displaying exhibitions of modern production, just like an immersive theatre. The visitors' curved path as a tunnle shuttling between indoor and outdoor spaces, providing different ways of watching the scenes.

The building serves as a landmark in the Rice+ City, telling stories of both the past and present, celebrating the harvest.

The piers sadden when the afternoon moors there.

– Pablo Neruda Ningbo OLD BUND

the Story of Piers

Located in the old bund in Ningbo,China, this art and archive center related to port culture is aimed to tell a story of piers. To store and remind people’s memory of departing and arriving of the past, the symbol of ‘pier’ is used as the leading clue throughout the whole immersive experience.

The journey can be mainly separated into four chapters with multi-level sensory experiences : the video hall as a ‘prologue’ provides visitors with a general visual and auditory impression; the workshop center then as the foreshadowing allows interaction among generations with various activities; in the exhibition hall, it as a climax exhibits old collections; finally the journey leads the way to the over-looking platform at riverside, revealing a new story of piers.

Repeating Symbol in Old Bund: Piers

Republic of China: Simple Piers 1980s-2000s: Piers of the Terminal Station Now: a symbolic element of old bund?

Qing Dynasty: Pontoon Bridge

Year2 Academic Project; Individual Work

Tutor: Yat-Ming Loo, Andrea Palmioli, Yimeng Wang

Art and Archive Center

Design Concept

Piers as the Leading Clue

Mast

Pier

Truss

As the beginning of the journey, the video hall is designed to show videos related to port and piers, giving visitors a visual and auditory impression.

1. Video Hall - see&listen

In such immersive atmosphere, visitors can go underneath water to look through old photos and write down their own memories about departing and arriving.

3. Underwater Exhibition Area - feel The journey ends at

4. Main Exhibition Hall + Book Tower - learn&think

The workshop center is for interaction, which allows the old to share stories, meanwhile providing young people activities such as boat model making

2. Workshop Center - do&share

Sustainable Design Strategies

a. Waterscape: weaken the temparature change of surroundings;

b. Greeneries: lush trees on the north side to protect the building from being over-heated;

c. Ventilation: Cross ventilation from southeast to northwest in the summer, bringing the cooled vapour from river to reduce temperature;

d. Shading: Shading especially in glass boxes is needed to cut down direct sunlight.

I say you are this world’s April day; Your giggle lights up wind from all around; Your spirit in the brilliance of spring dances a roundelay.

–

Lin Huiyin

A Room of One's Own

History of Feminism

A Room of One's Own: from Living Room to Female Subjectivity

the April Day

Private House (sincerely presented for Architect Lin Huiyin)

Personal Project

This imagined private house is designed for Lin Huiyin , the first female architect in China . Being a modern female representative who expected to intervene in the maledominated public sphere, she showcased her strong sense of female subjectivity through salons in 'Our Wives' Living Room', meanwhile having struggled with the contradiction between realizing the value of "talented woman" and falling down into family affairs throughout her life.

The housing located at the No. 3 Beizongbu Hutong in Beijing, a place of monumental significance where Lin's Saturday Salon once held. The design took 'Our Wives' Living Room' as the entrance into her inner world . Through the interpretation and translation of the feminist elements in Lin Huiyin's life and related architectural works, the design aims to use the negative space as a medium, critically generating the antihomogeneous female space in the patriarchal environment. The design depicts the transformation of Lin Huiyin's cognition, mentality and focus in each stage of her life, from her female identity anxiety and the awakening of subject consciousness, to realizing self-value through architectural research, finally to her lifelong belief

Design Methodology

No. 3 Beizongbu Hutong (2.0) - Main Facade

19th and early 20th centuries promote women's right to vote

debate and selfexpression, sharing views about philosophy, current events,

movement, women's independent consciousness is awakening in China

Virginia Woolf

The Bloomsbury Group Our Wives' Living Room

Architectural Research

& Literature Works Emotional Architecture; 'Poetry in Architecture' Our Wives' Living Room

symbols and elements of patriarchy are covered or expressed in the form of feminism.

Space

C. Feminine Features of the Space

the Door

Lin Huiyin (1904.06.10 ~ 1955.04.01)

1960s: fight for legal and social equality for women SIMILARITY

Rachel whiteread: Negative space is a product that virtually covers intertwined history and emotions.

Dunhuang art cast huge impact to Lin as it generated clues for them when investgating ancient Chinese Buildings. Meanwhile, Lin is obsessed by its beautiful lines and textures, applying them into her design works. To fight against homogeneity of patriarchy, the Dunhuang female dancers' posture act as an important reference.

morphological translation: Dunhuang Dancer

No. 3 Beizongbu Hutong

The complex entanglement between the 'new women' and patriarchal tradition transcending the binary opposition.

A Lin is obsessed by the beautiful lines and textures of Dunhuang frescoes, also applying them into her design works. The roof is covered with soft fabric getting inspiration from Dunhuang frescoes, using female elements to cover up the original ordered feelings of original typical patriarchal architecture.

Bedroom - inner faith & love Studio -

E. The stairs referenced the negative inner space of 'Dougong', which is as an important part of ancient Chinese construction is the symbol of the supreme imperial power in the highest form of paternal authority. Here, Lin's arrival has self-evident arrogation and monumental significance

I The design referenced the negetive space of Foguang Temple's north secondary room. This space is of importance to Lin, as she recognized the characters on the beam there proving that a woman named Ning Gongyu had raised money to rebuild the temple in Yuan Dynasty.

B. The facades of the living room is the negative position of the original one. The windows referenced the elements of Yungang Grottoes, which was a rare work of Buddhist art in history, and is of great significance to her research and life.

C. Before the war happened, every Saturday, at the living room Lin got together with friends and hold salons, which shows a strong sense of female subjectivity

D During war-time, Lin stated to her friend through letter that kitchen had already become the place that she spent the most of time, which showcased her side as an ordinary woman

F. The inner window is modeled after The form of an antiqued bronze mirror, which is a birthday gift that Lin's husband Liang Sicheng gave to her. Liang made this by himself. In the center of the mirror is a symmetrical embossed image of the Dunhuang Dancers

G . To memorize their Ancient building exploration trip, the underground storage can be reached by climbing down the ladder

H. The investigation process is frequently dangerous To measure the 'TaSha' of Yingxian Wooden Tower, they only held cold chains and hang on their feet to climb.

J. Lin discovered that the scripture building of Foguang Temple also proved the involvement of Ning. The door is particularly designed with the negative space of it, both as the handle and as decoration.

K . The shape of meditation cave referenced her treatured picture taken with her best friend Wilma Fairbanks who shared the same values and dreams with her, and influenced her in various aspects.

L The closet referenced Lin's wedding ornaments. As a designer with advanced thinkings, she designed and sewed her own wedding dress, which got inspiration from both traditional Chinese queen's dressing and modern dressing.

No. 3 Beizongbu Hutong (2.0) - Long Section

The design depicts the transformation of Lin Huiyin's cognition, mentality and focus in each stage of her life, from her female identity anxiety and the awakening of subject consciousness, to realizing self-value through architectural research, finally to her lifelong belief

Future cities are themselves ruins. Our contemporary cities…are destined to live only a fleeting moment.

On-site Conditions

– Arata Isozaki

Earthquake Guidebook

Post-earthquake Reconstruction

Team Work; participated in system logic construction, building design & 3D modeling, 80% drawings in this portfolio, and final presentation

Tutor: Hadin Charbel

Collaborator: Jinwei Zhang, Yingwen Zhu, Chenghan Yao, Xueying Huang

Since earthquakes occur frequently in Japan, it is in urgent need to help community recover from the ruins in a more interactive and effective way.

This terraced house in Osaka is a trial of how housing reconstruction is guided based on the gaming system; in the mean time, making full use of on-site materials, satisfying residents' personal preferences, providing neighbors a chance to negotiate on some shared spaces, enhancing community resilience as well.

Generating & Assembling the House Background Research

Workflow & Construction Methodology

Selecting Housing Prototypes

Video Link for whole system: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MIELipn77E

The whole system consists of the survival mode, community mode and construction mode regarding earthquake; while the project shown here is a detailed illustration of the postearthquake reconstruction, which I mainly took in charge of.