Revive Abandoned is my M.Arch Thesis project at University of California, Berkeley in which I proposed to transform an abandoned residential area for a leisure complex in my hometown. Moreover, I explored possibilities for UX and VR in architecture to help understand my design.
The project was highly valued as an innovative solution to the social housing problems in China by the critic committee on architecture side. In addition, exploration in architecture representation in VR was also well-received during presentation.
Through researches, I found out that it is severe for the social housing compound in China that they are being largely abandoned due to the decreasing and aging of population in third-tier and fourth-tier cities. But how could we deal with those abandoned area? Tear all of them out?
Definitely Not! As we have so many valuable memories in this area!
Through questionaire and primary research, it showed that 80% of residents here don't want to tear down the whole area since they love the original feelings it provides and 90% of them would like to transform the function of it into a leisure complex to support their daily entertainment needs and also for next generation. Then how to transform it into a leisure complex?
Based on interviews and site analysis for surroundings, I defined 5 major functions for the complex in healthy, leisure, playing for kids, street food and art workshops. The main problem of the site is that all buildings are created identical in the 60s with exactly same interior and exterior. Then how to make the site interesting and attractive with basic infrastructure maintained?
First step is to break the street grid and open up the whole ground floor. Then landscape comes into the site vertically to bring different strips of greens inside. To solve the problem of identical building facades, five types of materials are introduced horizontally on bare concrete to create variety. Programs come in later to group each individual buildings to provide certain functions.
The site is exciting and playful, all moments are different
In Plan - Ground floor is totally opened
In Section - Each individual building has its unique interior
In Elevation - Each stripe in NS direction has its own material variation
Today, architecture students rely heavily on printing out their drawings and hanging them on the wall to show their concepts during presentations to teachers and invited guests. However, this traditional method is time consuming, wasting money and papers and hard to understand without student presenting lively. VR immersive representation was explored and realized in VR in which it is leading users to explore spaces designed by architect.
