2008-2012

TriggeringCollapse 05

AirForceVillageChapel 15

Manifold 19

GulfCoastFilmArchive 27

Governor’sIslandArtCenter 33

CoastalLibrary 43

Half-HallHouse 47

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TRIGGERINGCOLLAPSEarchitecturalizingtheoverlap

ProfessorRonWitteLocationLosAngeles,CA

ProgramMixed-UseArea7,500,000ft²

Iterativeproposals

Thecontemporarycityispredicatedongoinguporspreadingout.Citiesareturningtodeveloperstomeettheirgrowingeconomicandsocialdemands.Thisprojectexaminesnewformsofmega-scaledevelopmentsandtheirpotentialtogenerateurbanism,takingagenericnine-blockareaasastartingpoint.

6

Thefinalproposaltacklesthetypologyofthemegablockbyinvertingtheprogrammedobjectsinavoidedfieldorganizationofatypicaldevelopment.Theproposeddesignisaprogrammedfieldwithvoidedobjects.

Thisspatialarrangementallowsforamuchhigherdensityofspacethananythingwehaveeverseenbefore.Ahighspatialdensitycreatestheopportunityforincreasedprogrammaticdensitybycreatingzonesofproductivefrictionandintenseactivityatthemomentsofprogrammaticoverlap.

Themomentsofoverlapcreatenewrelationshipsbetweenpropertiesandintroducenewmodelsofownershipbetweentwoorthreepropertieswheremultiplepropertieshavelegalownershipoftheland.

Program/voidinversion

DeformationtolightProgramevolution

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Programmaticoverlappingtoinducehierarchy,densityandmultiplepublics

CommercialFARprecedents

8

Massing

Perimeter

Roofplan

9

Viewintocanyonsfromroof

10

Partialplan

11

Momentsofoverlap

Explodedaxonometric

12

Partialfloor

Partialsection

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04/10/2012

Hi Alex!

We just moved into a new home! It is in a mixed-use community like no other that I have ever been to before. Your uncle lives on the other side of the complex. Did you know that he just recently moved here too? Yesterday I met him in the gym. On the way to the gym, as I was walking down one of the tunnels I saw a man propose to his girlfriend outside her office. It’s like straight from a Korean drama. Moments later when I emerged onto the roof through a diagonal tunnel, I saw a group of Chinese tourists taking photos of our community. I’m surprised that news of our community has already spread around the world! I followed them down towards the museum. I entered the gym through the pool area, where you wouldn’t believe what I saw: A whale doing tricks in our community pool! I wonder how it ever got there, maybe it took the freight elevator. Your uncle and I got coffees in the gym cafe and worked out to the sight of Shamu. Anyhow you’ll get to see our new place after graduation. Good luck in your final review! Love, Mom

Alex Tseng2163 University BlvdHouston, TX 77030

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Poolview

Tunnelview

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AIRFORCEVILLAGECHAPELframingsite

LocationSanAntonio,TX

ProgramReligiousArea12,000ft²

TheproposedAirForceVIllageChapelsitsontopofasmallhillontheprimaryaxisoftheAirForceVillagecomplexthatconnectsthemainentranceoftheAirForceVillagetothelake.Thenarthexofthechapelisplacedattheintersectionofthisprimaryaxisandthetowncenter,creatingcommunalspacebyplacingitbetweenenclosedprogrammaticspaces.

Thetwoprogrammaticspaces(themainsanctuaryandthemulti-faithworshipspace)areeachboundedbytwowallsthatframethelandscapewhilecreatingasenseofenclosure.

Justasthecirculationisfluid,lightalsobecomesafluidsubstance.Whilethefourprecast-concretewallsgiveasenseofpermanenceandpresence,theyfloatbetweenthegroundandthecanopytoallowlighttoflowintothespace,andthespacesintoeachother.

TheroofisconceivedofasafifthfaçadethatidentifiesthesiteasthecenterofcommunityintheAirForceVillageandunifiesthetwoenclosedspaces.

CollaboratorsDianaAngPrizeHonorableMentioninAFVVillageChapelCompetition

LookingthroughnarthextolakeConceptdiagrams

Diagrams

1.Frameview

2.Encloseprogram

3.Unifyprogramunderonecanopy

Siteplan

16

Plans

Sectionthroughmainaxisofchurch

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Sectionthroughmainaxisofsite

Elevations

18

Sanctuary,lookingouttowardslake

Vestibulebetweennarthexandmulti-faithworshipspace

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MANIFOLDmediatingunconventionalconditions

ProfessorSeanLallyLocationHouston,TX

ProgramResidentialArea60,000ft²

Aspacehasintrinsicandextrinsicqualitiesthatdependonitsplacementwithinitsenvironmentanditsrelationshiptoitscontext.Ourprojectisasystemofdeploymentthatconsidersenvironmentalconditionsinordertoreworktypicalbuildingsystems–thetectonicgenotype–inanultimateexpressionthatistheManifold(phenotype).Thethresholdisametaphysicalboundarywheredifferentspacesintersect.Everythresholdisuniquebecauseitisconstantlyinformedbytheintrinsic/extrinsicpropertiesandrequiredtectonicsofthespaces(environment)thatitmediates.

Unliketypicalhousing,whichhaswellingrainedtypologiesofspacesaswellasstigmatizedrelationships,theManifoldaffordsustheabilitytomediateconventionalspatialrelationshipsaswellascreatenewandunconventionalonesthroughthemanipulationofphysicalboundaries.AlthoughtheManifoldsystemiscapableofhandlingalmostanysituation,itmaynotbenecessarywhenconventionalbuildingtechnologieswillsuffice.TheManifoldisbestdeployedinmoreextremescenariosthatconventionsimplycannotcopewithcomfortably.Bycontrollingsystems,lighting,views,acoustics,andsurfacetreatments,wehavetheabilitytoforgeincrediblespatialrelationships.Forexample,submerginganintimateprivatespaceintoaheavypubliczonewouldtypicallyresultinaboxed-in,impermeableprivatezone,butwiththeManifoldthereisaconstantlychangingspatialexchangewithzerolossofprivacy.

TheManifoldisacontinuous,dynamicformthatcanbemadeupofmanyparts.Whetherthesepartsareappliedacrosslargescalehousingprojects,orasinglefamilyhome,eachpartrespondssolelytoitsimmediatelocalconditions.TheseparametersrestricttheManifoldtooperatesolelyinasmallscale,butasanaggregatewhole,ithasthepowertoaffectspatialrelationshipsacrossmultiplescales.Therefore,theManifoldisneverpresentasonestaticform,butisconstantlychangingdependingonitscontext.Itsdesignispurelyconditional.

CollaboratorsKevinLin,JonSiani

Vacuum-formedfull-scalemockupoftheManifold

20

Manifoldinputs

21

Permutationaldesign

22

Genericlocalapplications

23

Site-scaleapplications

24

Sitesections

25

26

MomentsofManifoldexpression

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GULFCOASTFILMARCHIVEfragmentingform,continuingspace

ProfessorCarlosJimenezLocationHouston,TX

ProgramCulturalArea20,000ft²

Thebuildingforthefilmarchiveservestocommemoratethereconstructionofthefragmentsofhumanlife(itsexperience,emotions,andmemories),threadingindividualstoriesandspacestogetherthroughnarrativesequence,light,continuities,andprojections.

Arhythmofstructuralframescreatesaframeworkfortheritualsthattakeplacewithin.Thebuildingitselfisaworkoffilm.Thetheatersaresuspendedinthecenterofthebuilding.Afracturedboxenclosesalltheessentialprograms(archives,exhibition,andtheaters).Aroundthisboxisathirdboxmadeoftranslucentchannelglassthatallowslighttofilterthroughthefissuresofthefracturedbox.Whilemovingaroundthebuilding,oneencirclestheprogramboxandhasglimpsesintotheeventsandexhibitionsthroughfissuresinthewall.

Theoutsideperimeterbetweentheglassboxandtheprogramboxisusedforservantspaces-aninversionofKahn’snotionofservantandservedspaces-suchascirculation,administrationspaces,andthemechanicalroom.Asaplaceofintenseinteriority,theGulfCoastFilmArchiveconstantlyflickersbetweenapparitionandappearance.Therhythmofsemi-transparentnylonscreenskeepsitsmysteryanditslifeconcealed,toberevealedtowhoeverfindsone’swaythroughthedelicatelayers.

Siteplan

Frontelevation,rearelevation

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Sections

Systems CIrculatoryandmechanicalcontinuities

29

Splayedwallsection

30

Plans

Structuralmodel

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Slicedmodel

32Narrativesequence(toptobottom):ramptoexhibitiongallery,exhibitiongallery,maintheater,andfilmarchive.

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GOVERNOR’SISLANDARTCENTERstitchingthevoid

ProfessorTroySchaumLocationNewYork,NY

ProgramArtCenterArea50,000ft²

TheGovernor’sIslandArtCenterexplorestheroleoftheedgeinproducingrelationshipsbetweenartexhibition,artproduction,publiccirculation,andlandscape.Theedgeisthemeansbywhichcitizensbegintoengagethroughvisuality,sensorialexperience,andparticipation.Itisafieldoflightnessanddarkness,andofpenetrationsandobstructions.

BystitchingtogetherthenorthandsouthpartsofGovernor’sIslandthroughtheconstructionofaspine,thepubliccirculationandanartprogramarewoventogethertoformaconnectionbetweentheferryterminalandLiggettTerrace,themaineventspaceontheisland.Theprogramwillbesitedwithinthespinetoallowforgreatercontrolofenvironmentalconditionsandtocreatemomentsofconvergencebetweenartists,visitors,andthegeneralpublic.

Themomentsofconvergenceoccurattheedgethroughthearchitectureofthepeel.Definedasaripinasurfaceoriginatingfromasingularpivotpoint,thepeelopensupthesurfacesinplanandsectionforvisualandexperientialcontinuity.

Thepublicwilldiscoveraplaceforartproduction–aplaceforlarge-scalecommunityartprojectstocometolife.ThearchitecturewillturnGovernor’sIslandintomorethanjustaplaceforperformance,butalsoaplaceforcommunityparticipationthroughproduction.MovingfromtheferryterminaltoLiggettTerracewithinthespine,onetraverses–inthisorder–achamberforsmallerartexhibitionslocatedwithinthebasementofFortJay,acavernousday-litroomforcommunityartproduction,agalleryforthesaleofworksbylocalartists,acaféforthepublictojointheartistsinPechaKuchasessions,astudiofacilitywithphotographicandprint-makingequipmentlocatedwithinoneofthehousessituatedonColonel’sRow,andanopenstudiofortheproductionofsmaller-scaleworks.

Weave

Edge

Peel

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Siteplan

Sitesection

35

Axonometric+Iterativesections

36

Sitemodelwithcutthroughintervention

Basreliefmodel

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Partialplanofspine

Partialplanofwalkwaysoverlookingartproduction

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Partialplanofcafe

Cafeandgreenhouse

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Retailgallery

40

Artproduction

Corridor

41

Detailofpeel

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Detailmodel

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COASTALLIBRARYformingthe21stcenturylibrary

LocationCrisfield,MD

ProgramLibraryArea16,600ft²

Thislibrarydesignfostersastrongsenseofcommunity.Thedesignstemsfromaninvestigationofthetraditionallibraryandhowitcanbereformattedforthe21stcenturyforasmallcoastalcommunity.Theinterioropensupasonecontinuousspacewiththreecorescontainingtheserviceelements.Themainfloorareaisorganizedascircumscribedlayersofprogram,offeringuserstheexperienceofmovingfluidlythroughmultiplelayersofprogramandtheopportunitytointeractwithdiversegroupsofpeople.

Asalibraryofthe21stcentury,thisbuildingisaplaceforcollaboration.Itoffersamedialabinsidethecentralcorethatprovidesanarrayofcomputerworkstationsaswellasabusinesscenterforthecommunity.Conversationsareencouragedbyplacingthecollaborativespacesinthecenterofthebuilding.Withthebookcasesservingasanoisebuffer,thesoundleveldropssignificantlyasonemovesfromthecentralcoreoutwardstowardstheedgesofthebuilding,offeringspacesforthecommunitytoquietlystudy.Thelibraryalsoremovestheconventionalboundariesbetweeninsideandoutsidebyprovidingvisualconnectivityalonganoutsideandinsideperimeter,andbycreatingoutdoorreadingspacesforthecommunity.

Prize2ndplacein2012ExtremeReDesignCompetition

Viewtowardscourtyardandentrance

Conceptdiagram

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Mainfloorplan

Groundfloorplan

45

Elevations

46

Aerialview

Readingarea,lookingouttowardsChesapeakeBay

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HALF-HALLHOUSEreinterpretingthecorridor

TeamWWArchitectureLocationPrinceton,NJ

ProgramResidentialArea4,000ft²

Client(private)

SituatedinPrincetoninadenselyforestedareaadjacenttoalake,thisresidencemaximizestherelationshipofthehousetothenaturalbeautyofthesite.Byreinterpretingtheformandorganizationofthecorridor,weavingcirculationwiththethicknessoftheservicespaces,bothfadeintothethicknessofthewallandtheservedspaces(thehalls)becomevitrinesforuninterruptedviewingofthesite.

Onthelowerlevel,thehallshavevisualaccesstobothsidesofthehouse.Thedoorwaysareintentionallymisalignedtocreatevisualrelationshipsbetweenhalls.Ontheupperlevel,allserviceprogramshingeoffofathickenedwallseparatingthemoreprivatespacesfromeachother.Theserviceprogramsdefinetheperimetersoftherooms,andthenegativespacesbecomevitrinesforviewingthesite.Skylightsthatbypasstheupperlevelalsohingeoffofthethickenedwalltocreatesectionalrelationshipsbetweenthetwolevels.

Myroleintheschematicdesignphaseinvolveddefiningtheconceptualframework,generatingplansanddigitalmodels,aswellasproducinginteriorrenderingsandmanagingworkflow.

Siteplan

Entrance

48

Relationshipbetweenservicespaces,hallsandthickenedwalls

Sectionalcollageofhalls

SecondFloor

FirstFloor

49

Plan

50

viewfromstudy

livingroom(hall)

51

lookingthroughthehalls

hall-to-hallrelationship

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