The project is a mid-rise civic center located in downtown boston. The scheme is based on the distinct corner condition of the site where two streets intersect, shaping the waiting experience from both urban and architectural perspectives. The elevated corner façade not only reveals the interior of the theater to public view and use but also creates a dramatic spatial experience beneath it. The atrium above the theater tapers to an oculus at the corner, creating a distinctive visual connection between the building’s interior and the street that becomes more pronounced as visitors ascend the staircase.
Institution: Harvard Graduate School of Design
Course: Core II - SITUATE
Project: P01 - Civic Mid Rise
Instructor: Elle Gerdeman
Year: 2024
The project is a geometric exploration focuses on complex surfaces, discovering architectural possibilities through studying different methods of discretization, including secant surfaces, folded plate structures, and waffle frames. The composite consists of identical modules that form an infinitely continuous topology. To show the concept, the physical model is made of four different modules originated from the same surface. Each module implements a specific type of discretization method, implying different architectural conditions and levels of resolution of the composite. The composite is able to expand either vertically or horizontally.
Institution: Harvard Graduate School of Design
Course: Architectural Representation II, Geometries in Interaction
Project: Tectonic Assembly
Instructor: Carl D’Apolito-Dworkin
Material: Museum Board, Acrylic, Foam Core
Year: 2023
Team: Eason Bai, Shengyuan Liu, Ken Chen
The project involves transforming a generic triple-decker house in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood into an artist residency, a tribute to Bell Hooks’ legacy. The building’s dual-facade design creates a unique response to its dense urban environment. On one side, it preserves the triple-decker’s traditional features like the gambrel roof and window placement, but with a monochromatic color scheme that unifies various patterns and hues. In contrast, the opposite side features a gable roof, moving away from the conventional stacked appearance, thus establishing a dialogue between the dense urban surroundings and a serene, cabin-like retreat. The residency consists of three interconnected buildings. Together, they form a cohesive perimeter visible from the street, while also shaping an embracing gesture towards the site. Residential spaces occupy the first two floors, while the top floor hosts studios and galleries, maximizing natural light. The buildings are connected on the short sides, with the long sides as front and back. A gallery hallway connects the top floors, while a ground-level verandah leads to a peaceful outdoor space. This verandah acts as the primary path, complemented by smaller walkways between buildings that blend the urban setting with a quiet communal outdoor space.
Institution: Harvard Graduate School of Design
Course: Core I - PROJECT
Project: P03 - Ordinary, Except
Instructor: Hyojin Kwon
Year: 2023
This is a set of partition shelves that I designed and built in the basement of the Sìyì house.
It is double-sided and customized to fit in between columns, supported by the same stud wall in the middle.
The frame is made of chinese fir lumber with nominal dimensions of 40x80 (HxW in mm), and covered by 9mm thick OSB.
This result in a heavy and solidly situated shelf that resonates with the almost unfinished and industrial look of its surrounding space.
Overall Dimensions: H.3m L.4.3m
Shelf Depth: 34.2cm
Shelf Thickness: 9.8cm
OSB, Chinese Fir Lumber
In the summer of 2020, I had a chance to set foot in the field of architecture and it happened in a more personal and thorough way than I could have imagined. 似逸 (sìyì) represents a personal renovation project where I collaborated with my parents in designing and planning our own house. We mainly focused on creating a harmonious blend of indoor and outdoor spaces. Starting with an empty concrete building with basic unfinished structure, we transformed it into a warm, tranquil oasis, where simplicity and openness are keys. The core concept revolves around creating unimpeded sightlines throughout the space, fostering a sense of openness and continuity. The garden not only surrounds the house but becomes a part of it, creating a depth-filled, unified space. We transformed the basement by deconstructing its original structure and expanding it with a high ceiling that spans the house’s entire floor plan. Five varied-sized light wells punctuate the ceiling, maximizing natural light.
-
The name “似逸” (sìyì) in Mandarin not only mirrors the pronunciation of our door number, #41, but also translates to “seems cozy”, capturing the essence of our dream house as a haven of comfort and tranquility.
-
