Location: Venice, Italy
Program: University Campus
Size: 50,000 sq. m.
Year: 2016
Note: Competition Entry
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Program: Pedestrian Bridge, Cafe, Office
Size: 200 sq. m.
Year: 2015
Structural Engineer: Organization Group
Note: Design Proposal
Location: Chongqing, China
Program: Urban Renewal
Size: 4,900 sq. m.
Year: 2015
Note: Competition Winner; Conceptual Design
In this Bauhaus museum proposal, we firstly focus on the arrangement of independent architectural elements, including stairs, ramps, and rooms. These elements are unconventionally positioned along two exterior walls in a panoramic sequence, to emphasize their roles in the functioning of the museum. Each element bulges from its adjacent wall, distorting the wall’s appearance and blurring the separation between the interior and exterior of the building. From the exterior, these bulging walls cultivate a rich dialogue with the surrounding city and park. On the interior, the walls generate interesting experiences of circulation and spatial organization.
The building serves as an urban interface, connecting to a city street on one side and a public park on the other. This engages with the surroundings by the manipulation - the stretching, pressing, opening up and pulling in - of the bulging objects in the wall. These distinct design gestures make the relationship between the bulging walls and the city variable and full of distinct moments of intimate interaction, with the intention of enhancing the static urban context by introducing diverse spatial experiences for people on both sides of the building.
On the interior of the building, the two, parallel, bulging walls influence spatial experience by directly engaging with exhibition space, introducing rhythmic variation to otherwise rectilinear spaces. Together, the bulging walls contain almost all of the non-exhibition space required for the functioning of the museum. The bulging walls extend vertically through both levels in the building and generate apertures from one level to the other, allowing for interesting visual connections between the two. Vertical circulation between the two levels is varied and flexible, allowing visitors to experience different exhibition sequences. These sequences can be understood as unconventional fictions which are composed of a regular depiction, interposed with narration and flashbacks, in order to present the history of Bauhaus in a distinct way.
Location: Dessau, Germany
Program: Bauhaus Museum
Size: 3,500 sq. m.
Year: 2015
Note: Competition Entry
Let’s begin with a joke: A man went into a restaurant, and asked the waitress, “Can I have a coffee without milk, please?” The waitress answers, “Sorry, we don’t have milk today. Can I give you a coffee without cream?”
This is a very interesting moment: it reveals that what you don’t get also defines what you get; the hidden dimension behind an appearance. How can architecture gain this hidden dimension behind its physical form?
Here is one option that unfolds through a narrative, presented in the form of a comic. This story is a case study situated in China's hyper-developed urban landscape, and top-heavy political climate. The story takes place in a fictional Chinese city, where the focus is an olympic stadium. As an olympic stadium, this design appears to be serving as a “one-time blossom”, a national icon, a showing off of national power, and a display of the flourishing central government, but this building hides a slippery future. This is a story about how an olympic stadium was salvaged, but maybe in the end, you will find that this story is about more than a simple salvation.
There is an old Chinese phrase which translates: “be the fish on somebody’s chopping block.” It is used to describe a passive situation you have found yourself in. Unfortunately, in front of people with real (political, economic) power, we architects often find ourselves in this kind of situation. So, when you are just a fish, you had better be a little bit slippery. Be aware of your situation, and then find a way to make a comeback.
The design of the Shanxi Hotel is characterized by a practical exterior and distinctive atrium. The atrium is generated by two cones, oppositely-directed upwards and downwards along a common axis. The intersection of the cones generates an atrium that transitions from a broad space on the lower and upper levels to a narrow space at the center. The atrium’s vertical sequence of compression and expansion creates variation between floors which are otherwise repetitive, altering the layout of hotel rooms and public program such as the conference rooms and banquet hall. The void of the atrium shifts from an eccentric position at the edge of the building at ground level, to a central position within the building on the upper floors. The exterior of the building reflects the morphing atrium through subtle and successive variation. A dual vertical succession is therefore generated by the combination of the atrium’s varying extent across floors and the propagated effects of its placement upon the surrounding layout, visible in the building’s facade. Guests experience this succession within a staircase that ascends along the edges of the atrium from the ground floor to the top of the building.
Location: Shanxi, China
Program: Hotel
Size: 23,940 sq. m.
Year: 2016
Note: Commission, Schematic Design
The proposed Ferry Terminal is situated upon Seoul’s Han River and is surrounded by both natural and urban landscapes.
The terminal is divided into two levels at the northern end of the structure: an upper departures level and a lower arrivals level. There are two primary entrances into the departures level lobby, and two primary exits in the arrivals level lobby, each connecting to raised, circular platforms situated in the landscape. Walkways connect from each platform into the surrounding park and the Han River promenade. The promenade itself steps down upon intersection with the terminal, maintaining continuous circulation along the waterfront.
At the center of the structure, the two large volumes intersect, and the two levels merge into one, branching into three docking areas. These docking areas are connected to steel decks which continue into the water to meet the ferries.
The form of the terminal was generated by extending two single-point perspectival projections through a composition of cylindrical and conical volumes. The two points of projection are located relatively to the structure in such a way as to direct circulation through both the terminal and the surrounding landscape. The terminal itself resolves into differing perspectival compositions when viewed from each of the points of projection, affording visitors a rich array of differing views when interpolating between these two points.
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Program: Ferry Terminal
Size: 3,500 sq. m.
Year: 2017
Note: Competition Entry
To best serve the City of Ryde, we believe that the new Civic Center should be a place with dynamic and flexible spaces rooted to a human scale. This idea took shape as a series of differently-sized "box" structures cascading onto the project site.
The architecture consists of two tall boxes stacked on top of three large, flat boxes which rest on the ground alongside four smaller ones. Each of these boxes, within which diverse civic and public programs are situated, invite the public to explore inside due to their scale and openness.
The two tall boxes accommodate administrative and residential requirements. Within these rectangular structures are a series of spatial objects which are stacked vertically, and which serve different programmatic elements, including: the civic council chamber, committee meeting rooms, offices and residential units. The space between the box and the object contained within it serves as a breathable gap within this doubly-skinned system. Additional vertical apertures are designed within each object to improve ventilation throughout the building.
The large, flat boxes are situated on the undulant ground with various orientations, and open to the urban context. These openings provide direct access to foyers and the reception areas for the tall boxes. At the ground level between these boxes is a dynamic circulation system which consists of large pathways, a green landscape, and public plazas. Open spaces such as these provide easy pedestrian access from all entrances to the site.
The boxes we consider are defined not only by their enclosed volume, but by the enveloping surfaces themselves: the flaps of these hollow boxes unfold and bound the space to create new, semi-enclosed and canopied public spaces, as well as providing structural support and connections between buildings.
Location: Ryde, Australia
Program: Civic Center
Size: 16,000 sq. m.
Year: 2016
Note: Competition Entry
Location: Taiyuan, China
Client: Xianghong Theater
Program: Experimental Theater
Size: 480 sq. m.
Year: 2015
Structural Engineer: Organization Group
Note: Schematic Design Proposal
More information coming soon.
Year: 2012
Sky Bridge serves as a pedestrian pathway between two, 210 meter towers.
The body of the bridge is generated by the intersection of a set of conic volumes positioned relatively along their common axis, which is itself directed between the cores of the two towers. At two points along this axis, perpendicular cones are introduced and split by the same primitive cones that generated the volume of the bridge. These perpendicular cones extend beyond the body of the bridge to create large platforms from which drones can be flown and observed, and which serve as meeting areas with expansive views of the surrounding city. The platforms' vertical extension beyond the main body of the bridge allows people to experience the view from various vantage points. Adjacent to each platform, the bridge "plugs in" to two enclosed structures that allow for additional circulation back to the towers. The two structures allow both vertical and horizontal circulation, and are attached to the exterior of the towers.
The length of the bridge is split into two levels, meeting the first tower at the 28th floor and the second tower between floors 28th and 29th, with a staircase connecting both floors to the body of the bridge. The two levels within the bridge are connected by a large ramp that spans the two viewing platforms. Views into each partially-enclosed platform are generated by the level shift, and visible when traversing the ramp.
Location: Shenzhen, China
Program: Pedestrian Bridge
Size: 900 sq. m.
Year: 2017
Note: Commission, Conceptual Design
Location: Dalian, China
Program: Single-Family Residence
Size: 190 sq. m.
Year: 2015
Note: Conceptual Design
The global financial crisis of 2008 severely impacted China's low-cost coastal industries. In fact, the crisis provided an ironic turning point for the transformation of Chinese industry altogether: the low-cost, coastal industries have switched to high-tech industries, and now, the government is planning to build a great number of roads and railways for an upcoming emergence of low-cost, inland industries. Hereafter, emergent, large-scale, low-cost, inland industries will be the next main step of China’s development.
The awareness of this ironic opportunity led to research into the spatial systems of arising industrial districts. Throughout the research process, the basic search was for architectural or spatial solutions to solve the problems instantiated by industrial districting. The hope was that this process of problem solving would lead to distinctive spatial systems emerging. However, as the focus of the research deepened toward the essential requirements of industrial districting and its spatial systems, the narrower the definition of those distinctive spatial systems became; the systems all ended up astonishingly inhuman-looking, and essentially, at the service of the production of technology.
Should we take such results for granted, or should we reconsider the logic hidden underneath?
If we look at Chinese history, we will find that the form of Chinese cities always follows the form of politics and economics. It has never been able to operate outside of these constraints. In other words, architecture follows the will of irresponsible capital and has never been able to go beyond it.
Architects do not have real power, like political power, or economic power. The power we have is the power of design, the power of imagination. Because this power is so abstract, as an architect, you need to look hard for chances to allow this power work. These chances are always specific and transitory. If we as architects do not seize the opportunities that can give full play to architecture, but rather, simply and exclusively follow the requirements of our temporary need, it will always end up in this vicious, and ultimately inefficient, spiral: we spend an immeasurable amount of resources to build an inhuman-looking world under an unstable system that will become the problem that we need to solve in the future.
How can we conceal and embed the wonderful humane dream of architects into an inhuman system? Camouflage it, make it appear to serve the demands of irresponsible capital. Be patient with the march of time, waiting for the wither of semblance and the emergence of real intention.
More information coming soon.
Year: 2017
Location: Nanjing, China
Program: Plant Growth Lab
Size: 200 sq. m.
Year: 2014
Structural Engineer: Organization Group
Note: Schematic Design
"Pipe-Line" is designed to bring vivid spatial effects and functional flexibility to Socrates Sculpture Park in New York. Pipe-Line is composed of four identical geometric units which are developed from folded surfaces. The initial folded surfaces are subdivided into zigzagged strips to guide a systematic assembly of off-the-shelf PVC pipes and socket joints. The thus-formed roofing of PVC pipes is supported by a plywood structure with wheels, allowing for the arrangement of the four units for different occasions. The socket joints not only provide an economical solution to complex assembly, but serve to soften the edges of the units aesthetically.
Location: New York, NY, U.S.A.
Program: Flexible Outdoor Seating
Size: 25 Seats
Year: 2016
Note: Competition Entry
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Program: Museum
Size: 12,100 sq. m.
Year: 2014
Note: Competition Entry
Location: Beijing, China
Program: Single-Family Residence, Creative Studio
Size: 500 sq. m.
Year: 2016
Structural Engineer: Organization Group
The proposed Ferry Terminal is situated upon Seoul’s Han River and is surrounded by both natural and urban landscapes.
The terminal is divided into two levels at the northern end of the structure: an upper departures level and a lower arrivals level. There are two primary entrances into the departures level lobby, and two primary exits in the arrivals level lobby, each connecting to raised, circular platforms situated in the landscape. Walkways connect from each platform into the surrounding park and the Han River promenade. The promenade itself steps down upon intersection with the terminal, maintaining continuous circulation along the waterfront.
At the center of the structure, the two large volumes intersect, and the two levels merge into one, branching into three docking areas. These docking areas are connected to steel decks which continue into the water to meet the ferries.
The form of the terminal was generated by extending two single-point perspectival projections through a composition of cylindrical and conical volumes. The two points of projection are located relatively to the structure in such a way as to direct circulation through both the terminal and the surrounding landscape. The terminal itself resolves into differing perspectival compositions when viewed from each of the points of projection, affording visitors a rich array of differing views when interpolating between these two points.
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Program: Ferry Terminal
Size: 3,500 sq. m.
Year: 2017
Note: Competition Entry
In this Bauhaus museum proposal, we firstly focus on the arrangement of independent architectural elements, including stairs, ramps, and rooms. These elements are unconventionally positioned along two exterior walls in a panoramic sequence, to emphasize their roles in the functioning of the museum. Each element bulges from its adjacent wall, distorting the wall’s appearance and blurring the separation between the interior and exterior of the building. From the exterior, these bulging walls cultivate a rich dialogue with the surrounding city and park. On the interior, the walls generate interesting experiences of circulation and spatial organization.
The building serves as an urban interface, connecting to a city street on one side and a public park on the other. This engages with the surroundings by the manipulation - the stretching, pressing, opening up and pulling in - of the bulging objects in the wall. These distinct design gestures make the relationship between the bulging walls and the city variable and full of distinct moments of intimate interaction, with the intention of enhancing the static urban context by introducing diverse spatial experiences for people on both sides of the building.
On the interior of the building, the two, parallel, bulging walls influence spatial experience by directly engaging with exhibition space, introducing rhythmic variation to otherwise rectilinear spaces. Together, the bulging walls contain almost all of the non-exhibition space required for the functioning of the museum. The bulging walls extend vertically through both levels in the building and generate apertures from one level to the other, allowing for interesting visual connections between the two. Vertical circulation between the two levels is varied and flexible, allowing visitors to experience different exhibition sequences. These sequences can be understood as unconventional fictions which are composed of a regular depiction, interposed with narration and flashbacks, in order to present the history of Bauhaus in a distinct way.
Location: Dessau, Germany
Program: Bauhaus Museum
Year: 2015
Note: Competition Entry
Location: Chongqing, China
Program: Urban Renewal
Size: 4,900 sq. m.
Year: 2015
Note: Competition Winner; Conceptual Design
Location: Wutai Mountain, China
Program: Viewing Tower
Size: 1,200 sq. m.
Year: 2014
Structural Engineer: Organization Group
Note: Conceptual Design Proposal
The design of the Shanxi Hotel is characterized by a practical exterior and distinctive atrium. The atrium is generated by two cones, oppositely-directed upwards and downwards along a common axis. The intersection of the cones generates an atrium that transitions from a broad space on the lower and upper levels to a narrow space at the center. The atrium’s vertical sequence of compression and expansion creates variation between floors which are otherwise repetitive, altering the layout of hotel rooms and public program such as the conference rooms and banquet hall. The void of the atrium shifts from an eccentric position at the edge of the building at ground level, to a central position within the building on the upper floors. The exterior of the building reflects the morphing atrium through subtle and successive variation. A dual vertical succession is therefore generated by the combination of the atrium’s varying extent across floors and the propagated effects of its placement upon the surrounding layout, visible in the building’s facade. Guests experience this succession within a staircase that ascends along the edges of the atrium from the ground floor to the top of the building.
Location: Shanxi, China
Program: Hotel
Size: 23,940 sq. m.
Year: 2016
Note: Commission, Schematic Design
Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Program: Mixed-Use
Size: 21,000 sq. m.
Year: 2013
Note: Schematic Design Proposal
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Program: Museum
Size: 12,100 sq. m.
Year: 2014
Note: Competition Entry
The Qingdao Aquarium is a key project in the expansion plan for Qingdao City, in which the local government intends to extend urbanization to the north. This new district - the International Oceanic Research District - aims to replicate the successes of Silicon Valley, including its research labs, innovation campuses, and mixed-use communities. The site for the aquarium is located within a scenic coastal landscape, with a hill to its north and the ocean shore to the south. The building was designed, in part, to create a rich visual and spatial experience, interacting with the surrounding natural landscape.
The primary program of the Qingdao Aquarium is the Participatory Exhibition Hall, which is composed of the Natural Ocean Exhibition, and the Marine Science and Technology Exhibition. A large-scale horizontal volume is ideal to hold the Natural Ocean Exhibition and to provide fluid space with flexible circulation. The Marine Science and Technology Exhibition space is composed of various linear volumes, which are adjacent to each other at the upper level, providing a series of small exhibition spaces which enable separation between the various species on display. These discrete linear volumes with diverse sectional characteristics are arranged to accommodate the function of each exhibition space, and to provide expansive views of the surrounding landscape. The two primary exhibition spaces overlap where the striated upper levels are extended sectionally into the larger, lower level volumes, creating varied spatial conditions on each floor. Smaller exhibition spaces and offices are located within these regions of overlap, taking advantage of the unique spaces which are generated by the sectional manipulation. Through this curation of programatic elements, views, and circulation, the overall building is experienced as a intricate composition of space.
Location: Qingdao, China
Program: Aquarium
Size: 42,000 sq. m.
Year: 2016
Note: Competition Finalist
More information coming soon.
Year: 2015
Architecture-Studio exhibition in Venice takes part to the debate initiated by the 15th Architecture Biennial "Reporting from the front". To show how architecture can improve the quality of life, even in places where people struggle to live. To share stories and exemplar cases when architecture demonstrates its collective fertility.
The exhibition presented at CA'ASI reports on the architects’ engagement in global contexts in two different ways.
It will show projects built in China, in the Arab world and in Africa by young architects, a few years after the presentation at CA’ASI of their award-winning projects in 2010, 2012 and 2014, another way to "report from the front" projects from the whole world.
Exhibition : May 27th – November 27th, 2016
CA’ASI
Cannaregio 6024, Campiello Santa Maria Nova 30121 Venice, Italy
http://www.ca-asi.com