Hong Chen Work Sample

Work Sample Hong Chen

CONTENT

CULTURAL

Waterside Rock: Xixi PavalionCULTURAL

Light Box: Zhushan Museum

RENOVATION Hanging Studio: Renovation of Industrial Factory

CULTURAL 3 Rings Above Hollywood: Theatre for Cirque du Solei

PARAMETRIC Wind Bridge: High Performance Surface

COMMERCIAL Variation of Yards: Jinxi Hospital

PARAMETRIC Rolling Cashew: Pop-out Display Store

COMMERCIAL Bonding Ribbon: Shenzhen-HK Passenger Terminal

HOUSING Linear Penetration: High-density Living Community

HOUSING Living Rings: Solar Energy Community

CULTURAL Petal of Lake: Yixing Cultural Centre

COMMERCIAL Expo Rethought: Shanghai Expo Centre

URBAN DESIGN Linear Urbanism: Company Town for Panda

Hong Chen

Bachelor of Architecture, Southeast UniversityMaster of Architecture, UCLA Suprastudio500 Landfair Ave. Rm#303, Los Angeles, CA, 90024Tel:310-890-6286E-mail: [email protected]

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Light Box

Acting as a local museum, the museum does more than preserving and showing the local history and culture. It’s a media through which dwellers would gain insight of the meaning to dewell in this place. People dwell in the land and gain the understanding of living through art. The volume of the museum is split in two parts, each representing the history of material and spirit: the stone mass hidden into the ground and the glass box floating upon it.

Slope roof is chosen as a prototype for the dewel-ling, which is the volume of the primitive hut as described by Semper. It’s deformed and transformed to create a sense of strangeness. The roof was carved to create a courtyard and an opening to the hill. Visitors take their tour down from the lobby, deep down underground into the darkness, where the local history of ancient time is displayed. Then they go back up to the ground floor to the exhibition of modern history. Finally, they will find themselves in the glass box full of light displaying the art.

Ground Level Plan 1:200 Upper Level Plan 1:200

East Elevation 1:200

West Elevation 1:200

North Elevation 1:200

South Elevation 1:200

Zhushan MuseumSoutheast University, 2012 summerInstructor: Jianguo WangIndependent Work

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Master Plan 1:200

Waterside RockXixi PavilionSoutheast University, 2009 springInstructor: Jie LiuIndependent Work

Different Status of Waterside-Rocks

In traditional Chinese gardens, water infiltrates into the space possessed by rocks, and creates in-between spaces. Relationship between rocks and water varies in this process. Rocks are adjacently surrounded as water raise, and detached as water fall. To adapt to the feature of the landscape of wetland where water cut islands into fragments, water is introduced from the west of the land, separating the island and building into pieces, and form wateryards.

Water level rise and fall through seasons. In winter the wateryard is dry where visitors would bask, in spring and autumn the yard is half water and half land where people do fishing and sightseeing, while in summer the yard is filled with water for cooling and swimming.

Water infiltrates into the space formally possessed by rocks, and creates an in-between space. Relationship between rocks and water also varies in this process. Rocks are surrounded as water raise, and detached as water decent.

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A-A SectionB-B Section

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Hanging StudioRenovation of Industrial Factory Southeast University, 2009 springInstructor: Li XueIndependent Work

In a deserted factory, structure, especially truss and steel-pillar, is the dominant element of space. To remain and reinforce the structure as a ruling factor while implanting spaces to facilitate the function as a fashion studio is my major concern in this project. The surface of the industry factory is reserved as outer skin of the new building. Brand-new boxes are implanted to facilitate the brand-new function of the fashion studio, isolated from remaining structure and surface. The essence space of a fashion studio, designing rooms, is hung by two rows of remaining trusses each, above the catwalk, emphasizing the dominance and strength of the structure.

Three designing studios, each 6 m × 17 m, are supported by both original truss and pillars of the factory and newly-added steel pillars, and float above the catwalk space. Designers will thus see their designing works being shown and stay aware of the reactions of the audience in time without leaving their studio. Designers working in different groups will also see others’ works shown on stage conveniently. Audiences will see more than models and latest fashion, they will also be reminded of the designing procedure of fashion.

Entrance Section-Perspective

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Petals of Lake

Locating besides Dongjiu Lake, the largest lake of the city, the cultural centre comsists of 4 major buidings, a theatre, a science museum, an art museum and a library. The concept of the design is “Flower of the lake”. Four buildings, each with a profile like a petal, distribute along the bank of lake, among the curvatured roads which respond to the soft outline of the Dongjiu lake.

I participated in the facade design and plan development of the art museum, as well as the whole design process of the theatre.

Yixing Cultural CentreInternship in ECADI (East China Architectural Design & Research Institute), 2011 summerRole: Design Assitant, Project Coordinator, in facade design and plan drawing

Library Ground Plan 1:200

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PlansGround Floor Facade Detail

Expo Rethought

The site is at the end of the main axis of Shanghai Expo, along which major pavilions of Shanghai Expo are distribute. After the Exposition, the site is redesigned to be a high-rise business centre. In response to the axis, the middle of the high-rise is open to allow visiual penatration. The top levels, which are viewing decks for tourists, connect the two towers. The inner sides of the two towers are two symmetrical curvature surfaces so that each office would have a view towards the main Expo axis as well as the Huangpu River.

I participated in the concept design and the detailed design of the curvatured facade.

Shanghai Expo CentreInternship in ECADI (East China Architectural Design & Research Institute), 2011 summerRole: Design Assitant, Project Coordinator, in concept design and facade design

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60°24°

Carving Solid

Rolling with Axis

60°45°

Rolling Cashew

A cashew shape has a concave side and a convex side. The concave side embraces space and people, while the convex side separates them. Acting as a rolling shelf for motorcycle, a cashew shape provides different ways of experiencing the product that are impossible in reality: surrounding people horizontally, observing them with an inclined angle, floating pronely through the space and watching them upside down hanging over your head. Also, the shape has two centers in both ends and an axis connecting them. Its form decides its motion language which contains two types: rolling around centers, or rotating along axis. Six key positions are selected during its motion, and thus generate a bubbly form. The motion of cashew carves out a cave space out of a solid volume, and penetrates the surfaces with holes of different shapes. The surface carved out by the motion in turn facilitates the motion.

Pop-out Display StoreUCLA, 2012 winterInstructor: Greg LynnIndependent Work

Position 1Movement: Steady

Position 2Movement: axial rotation, X-grid

Position 3Movement: central rotation, Z-grid

Position 4Movement: central rotation, Y-grid

Position 5Movement: central rotation, Z-grid

Composite of Positions

Composite of Positions Motion Form Carving Solids

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Library Ground Plan 1:200

Bonding Ribbon

Interrelationships between modern cities have been multiplied and endowed with more flexibility compared to the single and invariable pattern in the past. The intensive land use of cities brings along frequent utilization of infrastructures with multifunction and high efficiency. Therefore the Shenzhen-HK Passenger Terminal Building closely connects these two places.

Since ancient time, countryhood has retained the priority of sustainable development as an important model. Its vitality does not stem from technology, but from people’s interaction with buildings as well as their connection to nature. The site is a typical Hong Kong Hakka country with antiques and historical sites.

Since city hace taken the place of countryhood, high-density architecture has swallowed the dimming green. The scheme of returning to the harmony of human and nature, along with patches of fishponds, disseminated residents, fields of rice and verdant wood etc, becomes every architect’s fancy of sustainable design.

Shenzhen-HK Passenger TerminalCompetetion, 2010 summerRole: Concept Design, 3D modeling, rendering.

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Wind Bridge

Aerodynamics is first applied to object in high speed and performance, so we chose aircraft as the origin of our study. In this process we probed into the connection between light-weight structure and aerodynamic form, and developed the first generation of the high-performance object, a full body wing. By simulating the relationship between structure and form in an full-body wing, we developed a bridge with a carbon-fiber -beam-stayed crossing a canyon with high wind speed. Carbon-fibre fabrication, vacuum-bag and CNC are the main techniques we explored in this task. By double-sided CNC, the foam-core mould of the beam and body are accurately made. Carbon-fire is wrapped to the surface of the beam and vacuumed to provide with enough strength, and carbon glass is applied to the body to build a self-supporting shell surface.

High-performance Surface Tech SeminarUCLA, 2012 fallInstructor: Eric LeishmanPartner: Adam Rude, Hongkai Li

Sturcture System of Plane: Rigid front and supporting truss.

Transform rigid front into a beam suspending the deck.

Bend the beam forward and deck backward, use tension to pull the deck.

�e shell work as integral organic structure containing space with patterns dealing with pressure.

From I Beam to Fly I Beam

Section 1:200 Plan 1:500

From Full-body Wing to Wind-Bridge Aerodynamic Form Analysis

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3 Rings Above Hollywood

Floating circus is an elevator system carrying the circus show from the lobby where the general public would have a preview of the show, to enclosed halls where only the audience would enjoy the circus perfor-mance. Ground floor is a public hall as pre-show room for the stages surrounded by two transparent lobbies open to the city. While the upper floor is a solid mysterious mass of circus-hall encircled by transparent corridors.

The stages elevate in the 3 cylinders from the hall on ground floor, through the theatre on the upper level, and disappear in the fly-tower space above the theatre. Audiences, on the other hand, bifurcate into two different branches through two halls beside the public hall, go up to two foyers on two ends of the upper level by either elevators or escalators, and entre the hall for their seats until they see the stages again in the theatre hall. During this motion, both floors are animated. Ground floor changes from a pre-show room of the stage visually connected to the hall, to a large transparent urban plaza, and the theatre hall features elevating stages in which audience can see the plaza when the stage is absent.

The ground floor provides collective experience: when the 3 rings are in the public hall, the public from the city gather around the stages to preview the show. Meanwhile, ground floor and theatre hall are spatially and visually connected vertically. The theatre hall contrarily provides intimate experience: when the theatre hall is closed up by the stages, the audience own the whole space isolated from the ground floor.

Theatre for Cirque du SoleiUCLA Suprastudio, 2012 winterInstructor: Greg LynnIndependent Work

Upper Level Plan 1:200

Ground Level Plan 1:200

Circulation of Stage

Circulation of Audience

Section 1:200

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Linear Urbanism

The site is in the crowed centre of metropolitan and full of message from previous time. Message is blocked by the high-density mass in the chaos urban environment. Context of the city is thus segregated into discontinuous fragments. To facilitate the message flow through the site, we carved linear passages from the mass and connect important message spots around the site. We hope to re-connect urban messages from different times and dimensions.

We preserved valuable industrial buildings in the site, connecting them to an ancient castle to the south and the landmark mountain to the north, to form the central axis of the master plan. Branching from the central axis, passages are carved out from solid volumes to visually connect to important urban nodes such as Zifeng Mansion, tallest building in China, etc.

Also, the project improves the city from 3 aspects. Large areas in the east are sparsely populated, while western areas are overcrowded. So we introduced apartments to balance the population. Commercial system is centred by 3 cores in a line, ending up with a bone. By developing a new centre, the system is updated from core – bone – net. Industry renovations scatter in the fringes of the city. Factory relics can be a bond to connect them and bring industrial culture to citizens.

Company Town for PandaSoutheast University, 2011 springInstructor: Jiawei LengIndependent Work

Function Scheme of Nanjing Function Scheme of Nanjing

Cross Section

Plan Block Property Border Property Color Distribution

The inner layer consisting of glass panels of three basic colors decides the pattern of the wall, dissolving the image of the surface into a sequence of changing colors.

An outer layer of transparent louvers varying in more colors and transparency serves as a mask that further dissolves the facets into more subtle colors, increasing the chromatic effect.It’s instantaneous, variable and user controlled which adapts to the weather and reflects the activities in the building.

Skyscraper Dedign

The link to important landmarks determins the rotation of double high space both horizontally and vertically.In order to have the best view of these landmarks, wihch distribute at different distances from the site, viewing decks also distribute at different levels and differnt corners. Public space is carved out from the volume according tot the height and direction of the spatial rotation.

The rhyme of the surface derives from the trees in site. I abstracted the texture of trunk, leaf and sky and reflect them on the skin of the building by different colors of louvers.

Reserved parts form the skeleton of the site, corresponding to the trunks, while the new parts as main body and connection as blanks reflects leaf and sky.

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Variation of Yards

The site is in a historical town with numerous local buildings featuring their black slope roofs and white walls distributing along high-density rivers. Local houses always keep themselves close to the narrow streets, but you would find yourself in much wider courtyards one connected to another once you enter them. In respond to the local architecture, the street facade is kept close to the road, appearing as a piece of solid wall instead of retreating back to form a plaza. The hospital is organized by courtyards of various sizes and proportions. The yards are visually and physically connected to one another, creating flowing open space.

Jinxi HospitalSoutheast University, 2010 fallInstructor: Ying ZhouPartner: Chenyu Pu

Ground Floor Plan 1:300

Yards: From Garden to Hospital

Second Floor Plan 1:300

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Community Service Kindergarten Two-storey Housing Single Housing

Arbor and Shrub Ramps and Stairs Lawn and Meadow Roof Gardens

Connection to Society Community Yards Neighborhood Patios Public-Common-Private

Linear Penetration

As the urbanization of major cities in China, housing community is rising dramatically in height to balance the tension of land and population, switching traditional living mode from horizontal to vertical. One of the worst results is the sharp reduction of public and semi-public space, and thus the isolation of individuals. Public spaces would be restored by adding space that is open to all residents and even whole society to the community, but how to re-establish semi-public space in a vertical living mode is a more complicated issue, and it is my major concern in this project.

The sequential variation of space from public to private is not just the concern of architects. Within and around the site, residents have explored the solution by two major elements through life-long experience: hanging corridor and common living-room. The variation of publicity leads to profuse social communication. Restoring traditional living mode as well as the harmonious relationship among neighborhood by developing hanging corridor and public living-room in an era of vertical living is my solution to the problem.

High-density Living CommunitySoutheast University, 2010 springInstructor: Jing YangPartner: Karen Wu

Master Plan 1:500

Distribution of Community

The community consists of two major types of private housing.

The first six floors with larger housing units and more public space, are organized by double-storey units. Each housing cells appear as piled boxes, leaving space for terraces and shaping the corridor spaces of each unit into branched common living-room. Entering from the second floor, residents possess two-storey apartment. The apartments are thus guaranteed with sufficient sunlight and ventilated by north-south direction winds. As a result of the zigzagging and branching of the public living-room, it’s populated by 14 unique apartment types.

The upper floors are linked by a corridor at the north penatrating to the southern side to form common space for its residents. Housing units are smaller and uniformed. Before the entrance of each unit is a semi-public space shared and maintained by two neighboring families, enhancing their relationship. Thus the corridor becomes a social communication where residents show different qualities of their family.

Traditial Living Rings

Ground Floor Plan 1:500

Living Rings

Density as well as energy comsumption grows dramatically as the process of urbanization of major cities in China, while public and semi-public space in communities reduce sharply. Solar energy is a promising solution to energy crisis.

How to achieve plenty of solar energy in high density dwellings is the main topic of this design. Learning from traditional community in Fujian, southern China, we found that dwelling rings with yards provide potential for high density and public space at the same time, as well as enough area for solar radiation. We chose hexagon as the basic form of the community. The ground floor stays open for public space, and nodes of each hexagon acts as service space. The height of each hexagon varies according to the calculaton of sunlight to ensure the time of direct sunlight which provides energy to the water system. 3 different types of apartments with different areas are designed for various families.

Solar Energy CommunitySoutheast University, 2010 summerInstructor: Weiju YangPartner: Qiong Wu, Chenyao Tang

Cross Section 1:200

High Density Grids

Hexagon Yards

Distribution

Structure

Height Variation

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