Category: EXPO 2024 Courses

This thesis explores Los Angeles as a food desert, and how food vendors provide an informal resource that impacts the street at a human scale and transportation at an urban scale. Street vendors become an agent for urban renewal to create equitable pedestrian friendly third spaces.

The project publicizes data as a method for storytelling liminal spaces, such as streetscapes, alleyways, lots, and their contributions (or lack thereof) to community. Illustrating data will visualize LA as a design desert, including existing programs and missing resources from in-between built spaces. This proposal showcases street vendors as an agent for urban renewal using technology to reconstruct and reimagines these in between spaces. This includes proposals at three levels, and developing methods for (1) grounded, (2) aspiring, and (3) revolutionary change in historically divided LA communities. This enables pedestrians to take back the street as a public, communal space.

Numerous communities across the United States are confronted with heightened crime rates and a dearth of facilities and initiatives fostering social interaction. Many streets languish in neglect, presenting a disheveled and underutilized appearance. Taking the abundant alleyways in Los Angeles as a prominent illustration, I propose a transformation of these overlooked informal spaces into a fresh network for pedestrian pathways and recreational pursuits, seamlessly woven into the existing urban infrastructure of streets and sidewalks. Drawing inspiration from the malleability and versatility of Origami, the design envisions structures capable of effortlessly morphing to accommodate diverse user requirements. This endeavor seeks to link the expansive multi-story buildings characteristic of Los Angeles, reinvigorating communal engagement and recreational opportunities, thereby amplifying safety and enlivening the city’s thoroughfares. Such an approach holds promise for replication across neglected spaces nationwide, fostering community upliftment on a broader scale.

My thesis involves reimagining the concept of “time” in relation to the human experience and space. The project involves transforming the airport from an urban and architectural typological study into an extreme city. Since more people are traveling in the future, the airport experience should be improved and create a sense of “staying” rather than mere “waiting”. To craft environments that encourage passengers to actively engage with entertainment, interact with their surroundings, and have control over their time.

By studying the urban and architectural typology of Los Angeles and Las Vegas, I borrowed the architecture from both cities and transformed it into new designs through intersecting, stacking, and scaling. The project is divided into three main categories: hospitality, entertainment, and sports. This reimagined airport aims to welcome visitors from across the globe, not just as a point of transit but as a destination for entertainment and leisure, inviting them to stay and enjoy city travel.

The ‘Designing the Future: Architectural Systems for Enhancing Mental Health’ model integrates the latest architectural designs with the latest technologies to respond how to overcome the existing barriers to access. The United States, a country that is overwhelmed by mental health problems more and more with every passing day, calls for quicker access to treatment and care. This project argues that the mental health therapy of the future will lean on developing ways of increasing access to services rather than only expanding their availability as well as innovative integration of architectural and technical solutions to build therapeutic and barrier-free environments. Taking a user-centered approach means that these clinics can set up spaces that are not only friendly and non-stigmatizing but also motivates people to look for help. Furthermore, using advanced technology such as telehealth platforms, virtual reality therapy, and the artificial intelligence driven diagnostic tools can greatly broaden the reach of mental health services. Therefore, they will ensure availability of effective treatment not only the privilege but the right of all people. This thesis puts forward the multidisciplinary approach to mental health care, where the innovative architectural and technical responses become foundation of a more inclusive, effective and accessible mental health therapy system in the United States.

This thesis proposes a novel toy set designed specifically for children ages 3-10. By emphasizing physical play and hands-on exploration, the set aims to enhance children’s motor skills and spatial awareness.

Drawing inspiration from architectural principles, the toys will utilize a variety of materials and foster creative problem-solving through open-ended play. This project positions the toy set not just as a source of entertainment, but as an instrument for learning, encouraging children to develop a foundational understanding of materials, spatial composition, and ultimately, sparking a lifelong interest in design.

The design process of “A ‘PLAY’GROUND” explored various fabrication techniques to achieve the desired functionality and aesthetics. Through CNC milling, 3D printing, casting, and laser cutting, diverse materials were tested. Ultimately, the chosen materials optimize the toy design for a colorful aesthetic and engagement. The core design principles emphasize the limitless possibilities of compositions achievable through prefabrication, modularity, discreteness, and flatpacking.

From landscapes to infrastructure elements, the modules can be playfully assembled without any adhesives to create various playground designs. In essence, the toy set serves as a prototype for a larger-scale architectural composition. This proposed human-scale design, inspired by the toy’s modularity, would allow children to not only imagine but also physically interact with and explore the built environment.

In downtown Century City(center of Beverly Hills, California), surrounded by big, cold buildings, this project brings a new idea to make the city alive with nature. It mixes three special design principles -“New Formalism”, “High-Riseism”, and “Passivelism” – to make something called an “Urban Hill.” This isn’t just a high-rise building; it’s a place where nature and the city live together. The plan is to show that buildings and nature don’t have to be separate. Instead, we can design buildings that feel like part of nature, filled with plants and green spaces.

This project on being green and saving energy. It uses smart designs that keep the buildings cool and comfortable without using a lot of energy, making the air cleaner and the people living there healthier. This way, the “Urban Hill” is more than just a building; it’s a place full of life, a green spot in the middle of the city. Through the lens of high-riseism, the project has layered up to 15 platforms to integrate the greenery into the boundary of each story.

This big idea imagines a future where our buildings are part of nature, making our cities better places to live. It’s about bringing together city living and the natural world in a way that’s good for everyone.