Tag Archives: Architecture

From the Studio: Tokyo Protocol, Project 1

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My four dear sisters:
Although I have been talking to you four girls more often than last year-it doesn’t seem to be quite enough. You guys seem so committed to C4, so I guess I’ll have to just post here to satisfy you guys! (You know I am a perfectionist and its hard to just post a ‘sketch’ of an idea).

Anyways, I wanted to share a bit From the Studio! Project One of our semester has been quite a challenge, but we got through it and I am proud of what I accomplished.

Our initial idea comes from an interpretation of nature and what it means to be in “symbiosis with nature”. Gigi and I designed an installation for this project that played with gradients and transparency to communicate the idea that you can be hidden in a number of ways and also exposed in a number of ways.


This is a mock-up model we made with tracing paper, bamboo skewers, and pieces of paper.


We decided to construct our installation with wood and fabric of varying transparencies.


The final product was quite satisfying, especially in experiencing the installation. Getting to walk inside of it and explore all of the spaces and different ambiences was really fun!


This is a diagram of how we expected it to work (which, in the end didn’t deliver in quite the way that we hoped).

I put together a booklet that explains more about where our ideas came from and some background.

Just wanted to say to each of you: I love you!!
Jessie: Wish we could share late night chats and work together on our own crazy projects.
Maddie: I need a playlist for working, miss your fun and sassy work vibes. 🙂
Rachel: 加油！我觉得现在你可以明白我的情况多一点。别忘了，我也认识你的情况（studio生活，工作很晚，什么的）不好天的时候，就给我打电话！(and practice your Chinese!)
Megan: I really miss drawing with you (It is so much more fun than drawing by myself).. wish you were around to help me out with some of my drawings!

From the Studio: Visual Communications

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Finishing up the semester, I had this one last project in my Visual Communications class. I was inspired by the Mars One project, a nonprofit that
is aiming to start a colony on Mars in the year 2023.

This is an interesting situation, working with architecture in a low-gravity environment, and also making an infrastructure that utilizes the resources on Mars to then facilitate human inhabitance.

Aqueduct Diagram

Terrace Diagram

Hive Diagram

These three parts of the infrastructure will, in a combined effort, be able to allow people to live on the Red Planet.

Below are some renderings and visual representations of how this might work.

Site Strategy

Hive

Aqueduct

Terrace

Axonometric

Expansion Plan

New Beginnings

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Michael, throughout my visit to Carnegie Mellon University, I thought of you often. Being the first member of Connecting4 to step out into the world of study and responsibility, your experience at HKU is naturally the image that represents “college” for me. Hence, when I spent time in the US this past week observing current students, eating meals at college canteens & cafes, and discovering each university’s unique academic approach, I subconsciously compared everything I saw to Hong Kong University.

It surprised me when, on several occasions this week, I expressed my disappointment over not being able to attend school with you in HongKong. You see, earlier when I decided against HK for college, it didn’t immediately hit me how many hopes of mine were concentrated there. I don’t really know how to explain it, I guess I just didn’t realize how much I had been looking forward to spending my university experience with you by my side.

stairsme

Now that I am examining all of these new options in America, I am distressed at the prospect of giving up my dreams and aspirations centered around HK.

This whole process is so new to me, I keep unearthing buried emotions which I didn’t know existed, let alone would affecte me so dramatically!

I want, more than ever, to visit you.

I miss you.

archistructure

<year one architecture students working on a group project to create a variety of wooden structures>

recyclecreations

<year one design students’ work: a project used to encourage recycling>

ceiling

<ceiling of Carnegie Mellon’s Fine Arts department>

stairs

From the Studio: Analysing Yau Tong

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Our first project of the semester involved analysing the peripheral site, Yau Tong.

IMG_3824

StoryBoardFinal1

DSC_0081

I loved getting around the site and exploring the area. We produced this drawing throughout the first few weeks- looking at how specific areas of the site effect each other and how we can draw conclusions from those findings.. (click the image for a closer look)

PannelProject1

DSC_00722

From the Studio: Chinese Calligraphy Acrylic Cut

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Studying architecture can be difficult at times: the work load, the hours, the complicated models and tedious drawings. I often get very frustrated, but there is one thing that I am thankful for in it all. I am so thankful for the things that architecture has taught me. Yeah, yeah, it taught me about diligence-working with others.. bla, bla, bla..

But who really cares about architecture work ethics? I am excited about the representational styles and visual communication skills it has taught me.

If I went through all of this and only learned this-I would be happy.

This is the Chinese New Year season, and a friend commissioned me for a project to do with Chinese calligraphy work. He wanted name tags for some of his friends in China. (And I decided it would be fun to make my own name as well!)

First step was to draw the outlines of the Chinese calligraphy on the computer so that we could laser cut the 5mm acrylic board. I used Adobe Illustrator and then cleaned everything up in AutoCAD.

Next step was to laser cut-I don’t have my own machine, but a local architecture supply store has machines for rent (by the minute). We grabbed a USB drive with our file and started the cut… it took 30 minutes (and at 4HKD/minute that comes out at about $15 USD).

Next step is spray paint… we used a perforated plastic sheet as the pattern for the spray paint. (Painting on the back of the character..)

My Chinese name is: 韓睿忠 (hán ruì zhōng). Above you can see the 韓 being sprayed, and below a detail of the 忠.

Here is the final product of the 睿忠.

From the Studio: Architecture Analysis

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It has been an interesting semester thus far in my second year of architecture. We are working on Architectural Urbanism, exploring how architecture effects the city, and how a single building can change a certain site.

Our first step was to analyse the site-Monkok, a highly dense area in Kowloon that hosts a range of programs like street markets, book stores, live-work lofts, illegal structures, and big box malls.

The analysis of tenement housing in the site led us to the discovery of the eventual reclamation of the whole area.

I am excited about the next step of design and finding interventions that will change the city’s fabric.

Here is the full analysis with textual description and other drawings:

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Tianjin Memories

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I’ve been back to Hong Kong for a week, and getting back into the swing of things has been difficult. Looking through my photos for this post made me miss Tianjin and remember the summer and all the adventures I had.

I remember the huge construction materials market-and dreaming about new projects.

I remember the hundred year old architecture in downtown Tianjin, where I spent times with my sisters, mom and friends.

I remember brainstorming with Jessie on her art portfolio and working in the blog office.

But I guess most of all, I remember the times I spent with my family. I miss you guys.

This post is part of my Memories Collection-revisiting places where Connecting Four really connected and explored the world together. See my Thailand Memories post here. See my Guilin Memories post here.

Guilin Memories

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I am continuing my Memories Collection with one of my favorite places in China, Guilin. We went on a vacation to this scenic area in the South of China the first year our family lived in in the Middle Kingdom.

During our travels down the Li River, we stopped at small villages along the way. The locals in this semi-tropical area still lived in structures; some of which were hundreds of years old.

China’s token color is red, which we got a lot of throughout our trip to Guilin.

Another great part of the trip was the produce and food. Fresh berries and other fruit are produced in the area.

The historic legacy stretches into both culture and arts… below is a Chinese opera costume.

Lastly, known throughout China, the scenery in Guilin is, in itself, a compelling reason to visit this place. The sights are breathtaking and being able to traverse these karst mountains was a blast!

This post is part of my Memories Collection-revisiting places where Connecting Four really connected and explored the world together. See my Thailand Memories post here. See my Tianjin Memories here.

Resurrected Ideas (But maybe just for these 5 minutes)

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I felt a mixture of nostalgia and embarrassment as I went through my middle school sketchbook yesterday.  But in some ways these forgotten ideas and simple sketches have the power of suggestion for the future.

 

It is powerful to review the old and make revisions.

But it’s also powerful to realize, maybe some things in the past should be left there.