Daria 徐梦瑶

Ba (Hons) Interior & Environment Design - 2019 Cohort

My Design Philosophy

My My major is interior design, and I am proud to say that I am building something that I love and have been looking forward to doing since I was a child. Passion is a great thing, and I believe it is one of the best ways I have identified what I want to do in my academic career. I've always been fascinated by art designing and coming up with exciting things by providing computer applications and mobile apps. This is my passion, and I'm fascinated and overwhelmed by it ......

Honours Project - Community Integration

Project Brief

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  • Design function - Public Space

  • Site - Abandoned quay conversion

  • Design scheme - Soundscape design

  • Structural- Communication space

  • The final goal - Interaction

Idea Generation & Design Process

Site Analysis

Preliminary idea

Abstract

Integration 

Site Analysis

Preliminary idea

Abstract

Integration 

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Design begins with a site analysis

This design begins with a site analysis to derive the needs of this community. The community has a low sense of belonging due to the high number of foreigners in the area and the lack of spaces for communication. A public space for communication is needed to meet the needs of the people.

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Preliminary idea

Preliminary idea - A morphing of the scallop, incorporating interesting elements into the building, would be very attractive. Exaggerating the curves of the shell and shunting it into a 'window' by association is natural and interesting. Separating the shell structure and adding architecture to it protects the building structure and adds formal beauty.

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Abstract and reorganise the curves

The elemental panels were created from preliminary ideas to abstract and reorganise the curves of the shells and to extend the topology to apply a similar curved beauty to the building.

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All elements are integrated

All elements are integrated, and the original structure of the building is retained. The interior structure is combined with the original window and door holes for secondary design, stretching the structure to form a wrapped space to meet the needs of people to relax. And the outdoor form combined with the shape of the sea, allowing the building to adapt to local conditions.

Step 1 of 4

Final Design Scheme

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In order to make full use of the characteristics of the tides, the platform is designed to be stacked layer by layer, so that the building combines the tides to form a variety of forms and expands the area of the building and improves the function of the building. Soundscape design is used to transform the interior of the building. The "horn" shaped structure is used to expand the natural sound, introduce nature into the interior, and let people get more relaxed.

Final Design Proposal

1. The outdoor platform is designed in two ways. First, the height of the platform is for people to sit and talk, and there are steps at the walking height for people to walk up to expand the use area and conform to the shape of the sea. 2. The interior uses tensionic structures to help people walk anywhere, and soft and plastic materials to allow people to touch the building and interact with it while walking. 3. The expansion of the original cavity structure helps the building reduce the pressure of water impact, and also acts as a sound transmission structure when no water passes through. And it echoes the rest of it.

General Views

The soundscape design is used to transform the abandoned wharf into a public communication space, which helps the building regain a new life, increase the communication between people and enhance people's sense of belonging.

Video Portfolio

Show the beauty with picturesque video portfolios. It will help people experience every scene.

Context, Site analysis, Design Narratives and Concept

Get to know the thorough design development from the stages listed below.

Community Project - Participant’s Installation

Design Narrative

The design concept - "listening" - was derived by analysing the time spent by people in this community and the proportion of the population distribution. Using a shape resembling a trumpet, combined with the sounds of nature's wind, a device was created that allows one person to listen while another person receives, fostering interaction with nature. The translucent covering of the installation's exterior directs the focus of the five senses towards listening to the sound of the sea and the wind, evoking a sense of reverence for nature and prompting contemplation of the elements missing in a fast-paced society. The "listening" to nature installation extends to the social aspect of listening to the "other", encouraging people to reflect on the act of listening to one another, seeking to compensate for the lack of emotional communication, and emphasising the importance of listening to family, friends, neighbours, and life itself. The social aspect of the project aims to encourage people to consider the act of listening to one another, striving to bridge gaps in communication, listening attentively to family, friends, and neighbours, and appreciating the beauty of life. Historically, the installation transports individuals from the noisy and chaotic environment of modern life back to the original sounds of the sea, stimulating contemplation of the region's rich maritime cultural history.

Honours Project - Site Research and Representation

Part I: Research and Analysis

The abandoned wharf is located in the Laishan District of Yantai, Shandong Province, China. Laishan District has a beautiful ecological environment and a distinct temperate marine climate. It is a resort for leisure tourism and summer holidays. There are many colleges and universities in the area. The location is excellent, with several high-speed trains passing through the city. The area has a well-developed network of urban transport routes, with two main roads intersecting each other, a secondary road interspersed with them and a number of feeder roads forming a network. The area is surrounded by three bus lines and 15 bus stops. There is a planned metro line in the surroundings, and three stations are planned on the main roads in the area. The periodic rise and fall of the sea under the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun - the tides. There are usually two rises and falls a day. The building has only four supporting main walls and no internal structure. There are load-bearing columns within the main walls, so all four walls are load-bearing. They will not be removed during renovation. The lower part of the columns has support posts to prevent the building from collapsing and are supporting structures which, in the middle of the sea, must not be removed. The part that supports the roof can be added upwards during renovation.

Part II: Site Representation

After experimenting, I gained a more immediate sense of these fossilised shells. Each vignette has a unique feature that pays tribute to past history. The rough texture of each stone is as old and varied as the history of the past. The different colours of each stone reveal the colours of this history. The combination of concrete and shells produces a unique texture - a blend of organic and inorganic elements. A thousand different microstructures produce a material that is decorative, environmentally friendly, and cost-saving all in one. Environmental protection and the sustainable development of resources are major issues that concern the fate of humankind. By reflecting on and exploring the ways in which people live with the environment, resources, and social civilization, shell materials should be a good choice for deepening the promotion and popularisation of sustainable development concepts. Based on the maritime cultural history of the region, I have found shells to be adaptable and environmentally friendly for a variety of functions. This extends to the reshaping of the marina's architectural spaces and how they can recreate value. The curves of the shells can act as a natural protective cover for the seashore, and the streamlined shape provides better protection from the waves and sea breeze. In addition, the shape of the shell itself makes the building more flexible and closer to nature. It can also be applied to architectural spaces, making them more adaptable.

Honours Project

Theoretical Underpinning

Part I: Generation Z and Self Identification

'This 'digital existence' has created a generation that is characterised by - usually loneliness and a desire for self-fulfilment with this paradox.'

Generation z's circle culture - a utopia in pursuit of freedom

It seems to me that young people of Generation Z live every day in an environment surrounded by computers, mobile phones and other digital technologies and are accustomed to using information technology as an important medium for interpersonal communication and interaction - 'digital survival' is the way they usually experience it. This 'digital existence' has created a generation that is characterised by - usually loneliness and a desire for self-fulfilment with this paradox. In a highly atomised contemporary society, parents and friends are often unable to fully satisfy the emotional needs of Generation Z. So they seek out communities of like interests online to connect and discuss around common hobbies, thus create emotional resonance, and in this process of cultural reproduction, participants form an emotional community. So in my work each small 'group' is a small 'circle layer', each free to grow and differentiate themselves from each other, they aspire to connect with other groups, they are colourful, they are big or small, each circle is their true self and strives to create the utopia of all freedom.

Part II:  Pre-generation Z and Self Identification

'they are at a special time, having to endure the hardships inherited from previous generations for the first half of their lives and facing the explosive consequences of the information age .'

Generation x breaking free to find themselves

Those born in Generation X have witnessed the rapid development of China's economy and an era of material deprivation. This is a generation at a turning point in history, perhaps because they are at a special time, having to endure the hardships inherited from previous generations for the first half of their lives and facing the explosive consequences of the information age for the second half. They are constantly experiencing the impact and changes of a new era. But no matter how miserable their lives are, they are still seekers of sunshine and ideals. So in my work, the metal wire represents the bondage of this era, while the ribbon indicates the surface as a magnificent era that cannot be broken free. And the wavy background hints at this turbulent time. The square and circular elements represent images of tenacity and social adaptation. The bold colours represent the changing people of this period and the following of trends. The times are evolving and the zeitgeist is pushing the people of this era to break through

Part III: Generations and Community

'....Community building is not just about bringing people together, Generation X is the foundation of the community, but Generation Z has become the most influential generation in the community. '

Strengthening ties -- we should do it

After the first two stages of exploration, I discovered that in the community each different generation is like a different unit, they are interconnected and isolated from each other. It was like a plane bringing together a group of travellers heading in the same direction, but with different purposes and lacking a sense of common belonging. In the same way that community building is not just about bringing people together, Generation X is the foundation of the community, but Generation Z has become the most influential generation in the community. The biggest difficulty they face is that the community is only 'you' and 'me' but there is no 'we', and the lack of communication and understanding between each generation and each other is one of the common problems of contemporary communities. So in my work, each of the different coloured 'elements' represents each individual, they have different shapes, different personalities. But each generation is dependent on the other, they are united for various reasons, interconnected and influenced by each other. The work focuses on connections and facilitates communication between each individual, attempting to provoke us to think about them.

To Explore, Discover, & Regenerate