Selected Works 2011-2015Applying for MSc Architectural Computation

University College London

Chong LiB.Arch, Tongji UniversityEmail: catacil@163.comTel: +86 18817598543

Student Number: 16108784

POWER THE STATIC | PORTFOLIO OF CHONG LI

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Power the Static

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Scripted Timber --Exploration of Traditional Tenon-and-Mortise

Interrelating Mask --Longchang Building Renovation Design

Media Topography--Tongji University Campus Club Design

Overlapped River--Urban Design For North Bund

Synecdoche Lujiazui --Research in the CBD of Shanghai : Lujiazui

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Contents

Preface

Architecture evolves constantly. While what presents to us is the concrete and motionless form, the hidden dimension is always dynamic, where ar-chitecture is influenced by the links and crossovers between disciplines. To “Power the Static” is to approach the generative moment when the rhythm of architecture echoes harmoniously with architects, inhabitants and its ambiances.

The theme is presented by five works, in which element, architecture, and city are discussed- ranging from the micro exploration into timber joint to the macro research on urban issues. The macro-scope elements discusses transience and duration of elements in the new age of information wave, where computation and new structures are implemented. The architectural works explore the latency in architecture - how people influence the physi-cal tangibleness through emerging technologies and traditional building techniques. The works concerning urban issues deal with the macro-scope of architecture - how the fragmented contributes a synthetic, flexible, and homogeneous superimposition.

By the means of computation, lighting, vernacular techniques, and emerg-ing technologies, I go beyond architecture to find various mediums reach-ing the essence of architecture. This portfolio presents my cross-disciplinary explorations to find the unknown and power the static.

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Exploration of Tenon-and-Mortise | 1-week Construction, 3-week Design | Instructor : Gao Yan | Summer 2015 Collaborator : Zhou Shu | Contribution : Concept 60%, Programming 50%, Drawing 70%, Analysis 60%Fabrication Team : Hu Yuqing, Wu Di, Jia Dianxin, Zhong Zhenxi, Li Yizhe, Xie Shujie, Zheng Jingyun

With the development of technology, the relationship between material and fabrication has changed drasti-cally. Traditional crafts require familiarity with the material contingencies while modern fabrication changes the character of the material to customize mass-production.

Scripted Timber is a synthetic platform for Chinese Tenon-and-mortise timber joint, where the empirical hand-craft is combined with the computational generation. By the means of computation, the durational presenting and the exploration of new structure system are incorporated to promote the visualization and applicability of timber joint.

Scripted Timber

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Virtual Matching of Timber Joint

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Modern Structure

Ancient Structure

Traditional Craftsmanship

- Binding (5000 B.C.)

- Weaving (3th Century B.C.)

- Piling (11th Century B.C.)

- Pegging (6th Century)

- Bending

- Riveting

- Bolting

- Dougong (10th Century)

Wood in China witnessed long-standing priority to other materials used in architecture. And the invention of Tenon-mor-tise structure is crucial to the advantages of timber. From the chronology of Chinese timber structure below, the way of orga-nizing timber changes drastically, during which the advantages of traditional joint are lost due to mass-production and rein-forced timber.

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BeamEnd Joint

BeamCorner Joint

BeamMiddle Joint

PlanarCorner Joint

PlanarMiddle Joint

IntersectionJoint

The analysis right shows typical timber Tenon-mortise joints as different structural elements. The force&durability evaluation examines the vulnerable parts which need advancing.

Evaluation of Traditional Tenon-mortise Joint

Hand-craft

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[ Structure Optimization ] [ Fabrication Evolution ]

Hand-craft

Industrialization

IndependantReciprocal

Accessible

Flexible Changeable

ConvergentJoint

ScriptedSynthethis

DurationalVisualization

Processable

Assembled

Disassembled Recycled

Customized Identical

Adhesive

Mass-production

Autonomous

Component ClassCharacter of Timber

Joint Combination

TENON-MORTISE

BUNDLE-WOOD

POLY-WOOD

DIGITAL-WOOD

Process Presentation

saw chisel gauge plane

Base

Simplex Mutiple (limited) Mutiple (unlimited)

Existing type

Virtual model Computational script

InexistentPermutationCombination Duration

Empiricism

User

Maker

Slab Column

Slab Column

Fabricator

User

Operator

Separated Overlap Combined

Coder

Design Product

GHCAM

Fabricator

KUKA CNC

Vertical Horizontal Diagonal

Mechanism and Robotics

Visualized Fabrication

[ Material Exploration ]

[ Computational Production ]

Digital CraftsmanshipIn the digital age, CNC machines has greatly improved the efficiency of producing more precise joints. However, the limitation is that every joint still need to be designed accordingly. The scripted timber seeks to synthesize digital fabrication, autonomous structure, and material contingency and generating new joint syntax.

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Digital Fabrication

Fabrication & Joint Experiment

CNC Cutting

Typical Joint

Joint Assembly

Oblique Joint

Oblique Joint

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Cyber CraftsmanshipThere are four digital inputs in the Scripted Timber system - time, material, fabrication and structure. Four input together controls the outcome of the system. The system is durational, which runs and presents all the possibilities. At the same time, the best outcome is chosen and optimized through the process, which corporate the empirical hand-craft with the durational presenting and architectural computation.

Virtual System

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Virtual Fabrication

Virtual Optimization

Through the visualization of the con-voluted coding process, the Virtual system enables individuals without professional knowledge to access and control the whole process and customize unique timber joint.

Through the distortion of the timber, the weak direction of timber fiber could be avoided. The structural input can help filter the material contingencies and achieve diverse application.

Distortion

Virtual System

Virtual Cut

Joint Optimization

User’s Selection

Visualized Coding

FabricationVirtu

al Optim

ization

Results Pres

entin

g

Visualizing Interface

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Computational Presenting & Designer's Selection

The system presents various possibilites of timber structure with optimized joints. Power is back to individuals who choose according to their aethetics and needs.

Timber as beam

Timber as column

Timber as enclosure

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Virtual system

Timber Simulation

Virtual Generation

Main Structure

Sub Structure

Base PointPossible Joint

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Longchang Building Renovation Design | 12-week Studio Work | Instructor : Peter Sim | Spring 2014

Each time I visited Longchang Building, I would find the inner facade different. The changing life scenarios and gradual additions which compensated for absent programs contribute to the dy-namic mask for the inner facade. With increasing desire for improving living standards, this project explores how the medium - time and emerging technology - works with the residents to generate the future mask.

Interrelating Mask

2012

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2015

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Inner Facade

Longchang ApartmentBuilt in the 1920s

1920s - Jail 1950s - Office Building1980s - Residence2004 - Historical SiteInner Facade

Longchang Road

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Unlike the exterior facade facing the street, which is not allowed to add addition, the interior facade shows more precisely how the residents live and make use of the building. Time plays an important role in the dynamics the mask.

The future mask will work functionally to solve the problem of circulation, sunlight, and greenery by the means of reflection and re-orientation.

Chronology of Inner Facade

Problem-solving Mask

Existing Problems

Problem-solving

Vertical Circulations Light the Shaded Vertical Gardens

Vertical Circulation Shaded Area Point Greenery

1920

1995

2005

2010

2015

2030

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Mask Generation

Greenery and Circulation

Static Plan

Fluid Plan

Affiliated Blocks

Original Facade

Light Re-orientation

Through adding new blocks according to the existing axis and rotating the blocks to reflect sunlight, the static facade be-comes fluid and provides new living scenarios in the coming future.

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Living Mask

Lighting Mask

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234

4

57

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Top Joint

Mask CompositionFor the evolving facade, different programs are integrated. The blocks are the same, while the way to integrate the blocks contributes to the diversity of the compositions according to the residents’ needs.

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1. Kitchen2. Study

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1

3. Lounge4. Toilet

5. Library6. Fitness

7. Greenery8. Bedroom

Bottom Joint Joint with the Frame

Continuous Section

Ground Floor Plan

Tectonics Axonometric

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Facade SuperimpositionFacades of different time are properly connected under time. Every facade separately stands for its own time, while together reflects the history which the building have gone through. Despite the discrepancy of material and building technology, the juxtaposition ironically shows how social activities orient and link the differences. This is how architecture evolves in time.

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Blocks

Frame

Scaffold

Addition

Original Facade

Block

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Campus Performance Center | 8-week Studio Work | Instructor : Xu Gan | Spring, 2013

Lighting Research Members: Zhang Yuchuan, Shi Hao, Luo Junlin, Zhou Shu | Contribution : 25%

With the development of digital interaction, the physical propaganda is greatly weakened, whereas the need for real experience never stops. This project examined the application of light-ing in shaping a new topography which acted reflectively and synthesizing the disparate activi-ties happening.

By the means of lighting, the activities happening and the links in-between could be shown by the building. Therefore, the generation is a participatory process during which individuals be-come inseparable from the sensational experience, and become part of architecture.

Media Topography

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Plan of information flow and circulation

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The connections between high-spots on campus influence the latent topography of the site. Evolving from box to reflective pixel, the emerging ground acts as an inviting, multi-purpose, and dynamic architecture for students’ activities.

Slope

Box

Reflective Pixel

Main Sports Field

Multi-purpose Hall

Campus Club

Grass Lawn

Generation

Topography Evolution

Cam

pus P

ath

Cam

pus P

ath

Landscape Links

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In the transformation between scenarios, lighting acts as a media to perform different topography on the same ground. Upon responding to the activities, different lighting shapes people as well as landscape.

Experiments are conducted to explore the combination of lighting and how it influences plants, people, objects. The results are incorporated into the ground lighting assembly.

Mix-lighting

Acoustic

Gravity

People

Objects

Greenery

Landscape

Light as Media

Lighting Experiments

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Fluid Topography on Different Occasions

Circulation Oriented

Activity Oriented

Mixed Programs

Multi-Influential Points

Different circulation flows and activities influence the lighting scenarios on the reflective pixel, thus creating various media topography on the same ground. The reflective, changing topography is a self propaganda for the campus center and people become part of the architecture.

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On the Topography

Under the Topography

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North Bund Urban Design | 8-week Studio Work | Instructor : Xu Kai| Winter 2014Collaborator : Mi Murong, Liu Xinwen | Contribution : Concept 40%, Block 4, Model 35%, Drawing 60%

This project focuses on the renewal of waterfront typologies in the North Bund, Shanghai. Here, mul-tiple layers are implemented to solve various problems. These layers focus on the river, which works as landscape, infrastructure or facilities.

By overlapping the layers, the system is flexible, always evolving to accommodate local contingen-cies while maintaining overall continuity. The Overlapped River works as artificial ecology, which enhances the urban space in a discrete while synthetic approach.

Overlapped River

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Rivers System in Shanghai

The site is located on the intersection of two most important riv-ers in Shanghai, forming a triangle with the CBD and the bund.

SiteYuhang Rd. Park

Magnolia Plaza

North Bund Park

Public Space

1933 ShanghaiHospital

ChurchCommercial Complex

Cruise TerminalArt Museum

Points of InterestThe Main River Systems

Bus

Metro

Cruise

Transportation

Site

Hongkou Creek

Suzhou Creek

Huangpu River

Huangpu River

Suzhou Creek

Hongkou Creek

Inaccessibility to Riverfront

Huangpu River

The Site

Suzhou Creek

Hongkou Creek

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Business Business

Commercial Commercial

Tourists

Cultural Cultural Multi-purpose

Residential Residential

Program Connection Circulation

River as CatalystEven though the river resource is abundant in Shanghai, the sections show the separa-tion between river and social activities. The scale of Hongkou Creek on site is the most suitable for water-friendly design in the main rivers.

Given the unpleasant conditions of the riverside in Shanghai, the strategy is to regener-ate the obsolescent river. The concave river will be the new landscape and infrastructure for city life and serve as the catalyst to promote the riverside from downstream to up-stream.

Hongkou Creek

Lujiazui

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Through the renewal of typologies, the river works as landscape, social space and public facilities. The flexibility of the system is a bridging process, which straddles the abstraction of planning and the site specificity of architectural practice.

New Riverfront Typology

Concave River Waterfront Layer Landscape Layer

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Through the renewal of typologies, the river works as landscape, social space and public facilities. The flexibility of the system is a bridging process, which straddles the abstraction of planning and the site specificity of architectural practice.

Landscape Layer Social Activity Layer Facility Layer

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Overlapping on the River

Waterfront

Landscape

Social Activities

Facilities

Buildings

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Research on Shanghai CBD | West Bund Biennale | Leader : Li Danfeng, Zhou Jianjia | Fall 2015Contribution : Concept 40%, Research 30%, 3D Modeling 50%, Drawings 80%

Other Team Members : Pan Yixin, Hu Nan, Wang Yuze, He Yujing, Zhao Yuetong

Synecdoche Lujiazui

Professional

Interpretation

Analysis

Overlapping

Jusxtaposition

Collective

Individual

Amateur

VisualizationChronology Synecdoche Birth of City

RhetoricRealistic Figurative Futuristic

Needle

Intersection

Labyrinth

Chaos

Mapping Hotspot

Architect

Tourist Workers

Governor

Sphere Ring Grid

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Lujiazui History

19101905

Concession Era

War of Liberation Cultural Revolution

Agriculture

Program Distribution

Chronological Collage

Status Fluctuation

Typology

Industry Office Commerce

Reform and Opening

1975197019651960195519501945194019351930192519201915

In one century, Lujiazui grows from industrial land, farm, slums, to one of the most prosperous CBDs in the world, during which the huge leap in the 1990s brought prestige as well as various problems to this land. Architects, planners, policy mak-ers and people who live, work or travel constantly reshape Lujiazui in their own way, physically or virtually. The figure below provides the historical background for the anticipatory synecdoche.

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Commerce Residence Hotel

Reform and Opening

Lujiazui as CBD Last Skyscraper

Mass Construction

201520132011200920072005200320011999199719951990198519801975

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Workday - Heat Map from 0:00 to 24:00

07:00

07:00

09:00

09:00

11:00

11:00

13:00

13:00

15:00

15:00

17:00

17:00

19:00

19:00

21:00

21:00

Weekend - Heat Map from 0:00 to 24:00

Workday

Weekend

Visualized Lujiazui in 2015 The lack of diversity in the hot-spots shows the improperness of city dis-perse. Visualized Lujiazui is based on the activity of different groups in Lujiazui and presents the various figu-rative interpretation which generates the new image of the CBD.

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The irregular crossroad typology is one of the most notorious “features” in Lujiazui where no intersec-tion is perpendicular. Cars, buses, and pedestrians all have difficulty in the flowing.

5-intersectionRoad

4-intersectionRoad

3-intersectionRoad

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Just like Venice in Calvino’s world, vagueness never obstructs the reading of a city, instead, its complexity and change do. Syn-ecdoche, the figurative way of interpretations, explores a new way to capture the essence of Lujiazui between the individual and the collective, the partial and the whole, the abstract and the concrete, the realistic and the futuristic, thus myriad of cit-ies birthed.

Figurative Interpretation of Individuals

The system - twisted intersections of non-perpendicular roads - is like a labyrinth, which acquires Lujiazui with the uniqueness for touring ex-perience.

Labyrinth City

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Ring City

The ring creates the communal space in CBD, connecting the un-reachable air, which is the desire for the workers inside.

The needle occupies the least area while provides maximum space. The emerging of needle fuses the difference and creates homoge-neousness.

Needle City

Sphere helps obtain most vol-ume with least surface. The cano-py is a civic manifesto for the elite high-rise.

Sphere City

Grid City

The extreme superimposition of the perpendicular grid shows the desire of better circulation system. The equity is achieved through multiple layers.

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Birth of New City

Overlapping BaseWith the built of the last skyscraper - Shanghai tower, there is no space left for further construction in Lujiazui. The way for generating new image for the CBD is the figurative overlap-ping of different interpretations.

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Light TowerThe light tower is the phantom man-ifestation of the latent geometric or-der. The labyrinthine Lujiazui is re-ori-ented to homogeneousness and the heat map thus more dynamic.

Super OverpassThe enlargement of the original ring not only connects the main high-rises vehicularly, but also envelops the cen-tral green.

Pedestrian PathThe superimposition of Manhattan grid provides an alternative to the chaotic and impassable transporta-tion system.

Urban ParasiteThe urban parasite is the histor-ical remnant of previous slums. The layered blocks match and provoking the new built high-rises.

Canopy for the Central GreenHard to reach and lack of program, the central green is over-lapped by the sphere surface. The conservatory is an ironic construct to the elite fiscal skyscraper.

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Acknowledgements

I would like to thank all that have helped me with my work in this portfolio, especially my studio advisors Prof. Zhendong WANG and Prof. Quinsan CIAO, for their valuable criticisms and great support on my works. Besides, I sincerely appreciate the help from Mrs. Jian-jia ZHOU and Dr. Danfeng LI during my internship. They helped me better understand myself and encouraged me to move forward. Lastly, I would like to dedicate this portfolio to my parents, for their selfless support, encouragement and understanding.