Zhen X Yang Portfolio 2024

Collective Circulation

zhenxiao yang selected works 2024

Kotatsu Table

A Thousand Words

Pods

Hat Trick Chair

INVERTING THE UNWANTED

Re-purposing small-diameter trees as building components for carbon sequestration

M.Arch Thesis

Advisor:

Zachary Mollica

INVERTING THE UNWANTED

explores design and fabrication methods to standardize underutilized, small-diameter trees as building components. By providing a use for what is currently a waste material stream, this project has the potential to sequester all that carbon that is typically released back into the atmosphere through decomposition.

Each prototype is an experiment, testing physical and digital techniques, various scales of fabrication, building processes, alongside different materials and wood species.

A total of 10 physical prototypes were built with wood graciously provided from Haliburton Forest, and 16 custom jigs/tools were built to construct them.

PROTOTYPES were designed and built as initial tests, during which custom tooling and jigs were developed to assist in the fabrication process. Each of these 6 prototypes below are representative of a specific fabrication process and have various strengths.

The first prototype:

- Filled with mycelium growth mixture

- Thermally broken column

High tech processes:

- Scanned with photogrammetry

- Divided digitally prior to cutting

- Genetically optimized

Artisan finishing:

- 100% handmade

- Sanded to a high-level of finish

- Special attention paid to close details

Concrete precursor:

- Dowel joints as rebar

- Anticipates concrete fill to stabalize

Material circularity:

- Fully deconstructable

- No chemical fasteners

- Extendable to reach further heights

Load transfer:

- Easy assembly

- Localized load transfer

Through contacts in the Haliburton Forest, more trees were procured, and 4 large scale prototypes were constructed in order realize the project at the building scale. These XL versions iterated on lessons learnt from their predecessors, and new jigs and tooling were developed to make it possible.

DIGITAL TOOLS and processes, such as genetic optimization, photogrammetry, and recursive loops, allowed for the fine-tuning of log cutting and the strengthening of the final product.

GALAPAGOS (genetic optimization)

start optimized

Galapagos is an evolutionary solver, used here to optimize for the best cutting planes on a log. The fitness criteria is to minimize the difference in volume between the four quadrants, while the genome varies the cutting plane angle and position. This produces a log with equal volume between each quarter, which is a step towards producing stronger columns.

ANEMONE (recursion)

Used in tandem with genetic optimization, Anemone is a plugin that allows for recursive feedback loops within Grasshopper, a linear programming environment.

This produces a randomized synthetic dataset of logs to test with. The generation of these logs are based on randomized variables generally reflective of the natural growth of trees.

PHOTOGRAMMETRY

To enable the application of aforementioned digital processes, photogrammetry was required to generate digital mesh models of physical logs. After genetic optimization is applied, the cut planes are marked using common reference points between the mesh and its real-life counterpart.

JIGS were necessary to contend with the geometry of natural tree growth, which is non-uniform and difficult to work with. Custom made physical jigs were necessary to handle 7’ - 8’ trees.

Shown here are multiple jigs with uses ranging from transport, assembly, and securing logs during precise cutting, and milling operations.

SCALING

these prototypes as building components, connection details and potential typologies were explored. Post and beam construction is the most applicable typology in terms of sizing, and is the most probable use case for this project.

STEEL PLATE W/ 0.5” PIN CONNECTIONS

PUZZLE-LOG 005

Just like how dimensional lumber is graded for strength, and appearance. A graphic language for a hypothetical lumber grading system for these prototypes was developed, hinting at future possibilities of grouping columns by strength and allowable use cases.

FLITCH PLATE TENSIONED

PUZZLE-LOG 001

CONCRETE FILLED

PUZZLE-LOG 001

CONCRETE FILLED

STEEL PLATE SCREWED TO LOG

BLOCK WITH PRE-CAST COLUMN

CONCRETE

CONNECTION PLATES WITH REBAR ALIGNMENT ROD

REBAR ALIGNMENT ROD

UPLIFT ANCHORS

An ongoing project with eventual goals of making it to commercial markets as an engineered wood product or furniture pieces,

Inverting the Unwanted presents a means of working with waste material streams to reduce emissions, and as a gentle reminder of the origins of our everyday materials.

Gowanus canal circular library

Advisor: James Macgillivray

In partnership with: Toby Evans

RE - STORE is a circular library that collects and displays up-cyclable goods on its facade, that doubles as a community storefront. Located in the industrial-residential neighborhood of the Gowanus Lowlands, the program includes workshop interiors and a central alleyway that serve as a space for the community to breathe new life into these salvaged materials.

Environmental impact, circular design, and adaptive reuse were cornerstones of this design.

EMBODIED CARBON

analysis was key to reducing the global warming potential of the project, materials with a high GWP are used only when absolutely necessary.

The main structural members are composed of mass timber GLT beams and columns with steel connectors, while the flooring and walls are all composed of CLT panels.

Through the inclusion of biogenic materials in the facade assembly, we were able to offset carbon costs. Key biogenic materials used in the assembly are CLT wall panels and Expanded Insulation Corkboard (ICB).

Global Warming (t)

(factoring in biogenic storage)

Global Warming (t)

Triple glazed glass

Aluminium framing CLT flooring

Aluminium spacers

Upcycled plastic siding

Glulam beams and columns

Cork insulation Gypsum wallboard

NET-ZERO

building was a key goal of the project. A range of analysis on building loads, material life cycles and passive heating/cooling strategies were conducted and implemented to lower the amount of embodied and operational carbon in the design. Both summer and winter heating/cooling strategies were considered.

FACADES

were a focus of the design studio. Keeping industrial reuse in mind, our facade was designed to frame material stock on the exterior.

Composed of three main components, walls, windows and exterior panels, multiple variations of each component form different combinations of facade. In order to quickly test these variations, a “Facade Test Box” was constructed to faciliate the test process, and the final color scheme and exterior panel were selected.

COLLECTIVE CIRCULATION

Traversing Sheppard with multi-layered urbanism

Advisor: Roberto Damiani

In partnership with: Yoon Chai & Ashish Gangwar

POROSITY

on the site is notably poor, through a compilation of GIS data, orthoimages, and photography from site visits, we diagrammed the built conditions surrounding the site.

Analysis of roads and hardscaping, street frontage, and adjacent conditions helped us identify that fencing, rail tracks, and site elevation form a barrier to site access. These factors, combined with the traffic underpass, create a hostile pedestrian and cyclist environment.

Increasing site porosity and enhancing non-vehicular user experience became key driving factors in the design.

Parking

Street Frontage Analysis

Commercial Open

Roads and Hardscaping

Adjacent Conditions

Chainlink Fence

Masonry Wall

Glass/Masonry Wall

High Masonry Wall Railway

Residential Fence

PROGRAM

for four podium towers were designed using Metrolinx TOC’s (Transit Oriented Communities) as precedent, while keeping in mind Toronto’s need for affordable housing.

Commercial podiums service the residents and commuters, while providing separation of the residential units above from railway noise.

Market rate housing (orange) is located higher in the towers to attract higher rent and offset affordable unit costs.

Family units (yellow) include a two-door entryway that splits into a main and sub-unit for multigenerational families.

Student units (green) serve as an intermediary between the podium and other residential units above.

At the urban scale, the project redefines the rail path by using it as a means of connectivity when it was previously a barrier. Connecting it to the nearby Collingwood park and West Highland Creek.

Undisturbed landscapes through kinetic architecture

Advisor: Nathan Bishop

In partnership with Ryan Collins

KINETIC ARCHITECTURE

was the focus of this studio. The complex movements of precedent projects were unraveled through motion drawings and algorithmic design.

By studying Chuck Hoberman’s famous Hoberman sphere, we researched and documented the motions of the linked arms and 3D printed our own version.

REDESIGNING

the linked arm mechanism based on a NASA lunar lander mechanism provided the potential for different programs.

The actuation mechanism was revised in order to create vertical expansion via internal rotation.

Components

Roof Dome

Upper Clamshell

Upper Outside Track

Upper Inside Track

Scissor Arm A

Scissor Arm B

Scissor Arm Joint

Envelope

Envelope W ireframe

2-Axis Hub Lower Inside Track Pneumatic Chamber

Clamshell

This mechanism was prototyped as a series of vacation pods that retract in the off-season to leave the landscape undisturbed.

Nylon fabric is stretched between the top and bottom shells to enclose the structure.

Different pod types were explored, with a stair module developed to house multistory pods.

The pod mechanism is pneumatically activated via a syringe and vinyl tubing at the model scale. Large scale actuation could utilize similar pneumatic principles.

KOTATSU TABLE

A coffee table inspired by Japanese kotatsu’s, the table is precision CNC flipped milled to create a sculptural edge.

Constructed from laminated MDF for ease of milling and plywood for strength. This project challenged my proficiency in machining and fabrication operations. Multiple alignment points and lines were used to ensure tolerance and accuracy during the flip mill process.

HAT TRICK CHAIR (replica)

A remake of Frank Gehry’s iconic Hat Trick Chair under the tutelage of Studio Junction. The making of this chair involved formwork making, steam bending, complicated glue-ups, finishing, and many other woodworking techniques.

The replica version is on the right, with the original on the left.

A THOUSAND WORDS

In partnership with: Cathryn Copper & Paul Howard Harrison

A video exhibition that ran at the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design for 5 weeks. The exhibition comprised of 23 student projects that use image generation AI to recreate an image of existing architectural works without using the name of the project or author.

WHICH IS REAL?

This exhibition showcased the success and failures of AI, and student ability to critique its abilities, its strengths, blind spots, misunderstandings, hallucinations and other inadequacies. A collaborative partnership between the course Computation and Design and the Eberhard Zeidler Library. This exhibition culminated in a AI guide, research paper and conference presentation for the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA). My main contributions to this project were putting together the AI guide and exhibition, while acting as a liaison between the course and the Eberhard Zeidler Library.

AI-GENERATED REAL

Case Study House No. 22. Pierre Koenig. California, United States. 1960. Photographed by Julius Shulman.

By

“Black and white photo. Mid-century modern house occupies bottom two-thirds; outdoor ceiling extends from house covering the entire top side of image. House is on a hill, with platform visible on lower third. Shot at a 45-degree angle from right of the house. Two women seated inside on left half, near windows, with indoor light. Los Angeles night skyline fills remaining top third, extending from mid-left to upper right. Deep contrast for city lights and architectural lines”

Kun Hu. Generated with Midjourney