Taylor Zhai Williams

portfolio

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I am 21 years old with an undergraduate degree in architectural studies from the Chinese University of hong Kong.

My primary architectural interests deal with light, experience and detail orien-tated construction.

My professional experience comes from working with the design orientated firms Affect-T and spatial practice, both based in Hong Kong.

I am a competitive swimmer, having placed third at the Hong Kong Olympic time trials. I have also been the series champion of the Hong Kong Open Water and Revolution Asia series.

I am an American and Australian citizen and permanent resident of Hong Kong.

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ConTenTs

1 - INDIVIDUALKai Tak River, 2014Hong Kong Buildings, 2014

2 - ACADEMICEnvironmental Centre, 2014Sunken Library, 2013School on a Hill, 2013

3 - PROFESSIONALGuggenheim Helsinki, 2014Transitional Micro-Housing, 2013Le Maraisiens, 2014

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KAI TAK RIVER Hong Kong, 2014

PROGRAM: public spacesSITE AREA: 380,000 m2

STATUS: competition

above: perspective view of riverside

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ConCePT

Sometimes we forget how strange Hong Kong is. Sometimes you only notice after you have been away. Isn’t it strange that an escalator was built to help pedestrians scale a mountain? It is surely unusual. Not far from there almost an entire district has been elevated off the earth. From ifc to the post office, we flow along a floating walkway, completely divorced from our native ground. Very few cities have a condition like this.

What if this strangeness extended to our public spaces? The proposed space for the Kai Tak river follows this urban condition. Integrated amongst the trees and grass and flowers are a series of inane interventions. In Paris the parks bleed into the city. In Hong Kong the city bleeds into the park.

previous page: inane intervention mapleft: sectionsnext page: selected moments and perspectives

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OLD HONG KONG BUILDINGSHong Kong, 2014

PROJECT: sketches of Hong Kong Buildings

above: ink drawing of corner building

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sTaTemenT

I have been casually documenting old Hong Kong corner buildings since early 2013. My interest began with the photography of Michael Wolf. I started sketching from his photography, and then later went and found source buildings myself.

Most of the drawings I have since given away. I was only wise enough to document some of the drawings (however crudely), and those select are represented here.

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ENVIRONMENTAL CENTREYim Tim Tsai Island, Hong Kong, 2014

PROGRAM: exhibition, classrooms, administrative spacesSIZE: 4500 m2

STATUS: academic work

top left: outdoor exhibition spacetop right: light sensitive exhibition space

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ConCePT

The site was the slope of a hill, on a rural island in Hong Kong. The concept was to mark the slope with a series of distinct horizontal slabs. In contrast to the horizon-tality of the exterior, the interior would be defined by central atrium that would reflect natural light into the building.

left: massing modelabove: concept sketches

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1st December

1st May

1200 hrs

1500 hrs

liGhT

Light was a driving force behind the de-sign of this building.

The overall orientation was determined by the angle of the southern light, so that it may be reflected into the heart of the building.

below: sectional perspectivenext page: light study - physical model

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1st March

1st September

1200 hrs

1500 hrs

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0900 hrs 1200 hrs

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1200 hrs 1500 hrs

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seQUenCe

The scheme was derived through an un-derstanding of the sequence through which one would experience the building.

Visitors arrive at the middle floor, and are led down to the exhibition space below. Once they have circulated through, a sec-ond core ushers them back upstairs to the library and cafe.

above: entrance perspectiveleft: sequence diagram

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ConsTrUCTion anD maTerialiTy

The building is of concrete, textured by white stucco. It is look primitive on the side of the hill, as though a monument left over from an ancient era. Gallery spac-es are simple and white with polished screen flooring. External spaces are paved with light travertine or white gravel. Services are hidden. Siding the major exhibition space is an m/e corridor. In other areas, an m/e passage is concealed in the ceiling, and is accessible through the travertine flooring above.

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SUNKEN LIBRARYFormer Central Police Station, Hong Kong, 2013

PROGRAM: library (collection of 250-500 books), lecture hall, public spacesSIZE: 600 m2

STATUS: academic work

above: fissures left behind by an earthquake in Christchurch

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ConCePT

The concept was to sink the library into the ground, as to maintain the pre-exisit-ing relationship between the colonial buildings. A sloped courtyard serves as the entrance space.

top: massing - site relationship studyabove: exterior perspective

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C

B

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momenTs

The building was conceived as a series of moments:

A - sinking beneath the groundB - the interplay of curvesC - shafts of light

a

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liGhT

For a partially underground building, the question of light is highly significant. A sloped sunken courtyard was established on the north-side of the library to allow northern light into the building.

Direct light from the south is diffused into a chamber from which it glows forth into the library space through a series of ap-ertures.

this page: light diagramsright: light concept - physical model

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SCHOOL ON A HILLJava, Indonesia, 2013

PROGRAM: classrooms, hall, playground, administrative spacesSIZE: 5000 m2

STATUS: academic work

above: 3ds max screen-shot, taken early in the design phase

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ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY

The form of the classrooms were modeled according to principles of the venturi ef-fect to increase natural ventilation.

this page: classroom construction diagramabove right: venturi diagrambelow right: classroom form diagrams

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venturi effect: the flow speed at 2 is greater than at 1 because the cross-sectional area at B is less than at A.

regular form: wind velocity remains constant or is diminished

venturi form: wind velocity increases due to lesser cross sectional area

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a

V1

V1 V1V1

V2

V2

B2

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steel roofingplywood sheetpurlin and insulation plywood sheet between purlins

timber double column and horizontal siding

bamboo timberfloor strutfloor beam

timber beam @ (20 x 15 x 630 mm)

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concrete pier and footing

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plywood sheet between purlins

concrete pier and footing

ENVELOPE

A louvre system is used throughout. This allows for effective cross ventilation, as well as the penetration of light and views.

The louvre envelope also gives the im-pression of lightness, which counteracts the solidity of the hill.

this page: louvre diagramsleft: detail section

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eXPerienCe

The school is immersed by nature, and this can be felt from the inside. From the inside, one feels as though they are floating amongst the higher levels of the forest.

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above: concept sketchabove left: plan 1:500left: axonometric section 1:500

sCheme

A retaining wall marks the perimeter of the school, and rationalizes the crest of the hill. It is a solid extension of the ground, and acts as a raised walkway.

Protruding from this datum are the light-weight structures of the classrooms and the hall.

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GUGGENHEIM HELSINKI (wITH SPATIAL PRACTICE)Helsinki, Finland, 2014

PROGRAM: galleries, public spaces, administration spacesSIZE: 12,000 m2

STATUS: competition

above: interior perspective

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ConTriBUTion(as seen in selected images)

- active in conceptual design- interior perspective views- gallery spatial studies

- model making- model photography- general photoshopping

above: conceptual model

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TRANSITIONAL MICRO-HOUSING (wITH AFFECT-T) Hong Kong/ Shenzhen Biennale, 2014

PROGRAM: temporary housingAwARDS: prospective awards best sustainable build 2014

above: micro-housing detail

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ConTriBUTion(as seen in selected images)

- conducted precedent research- researched construction methods- assisted in acquiring statistics and data

- produced design options

above: interior views and detail

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LES MARAISIENS (wITH SPATIAL PRACTICE, PENTAGRAM & LUCILE TROQUET)Le Marais, Paris, France, 2014

PROJECT: visual identity and branding for fashion labelSTATUS: branding phase

above: brand logo (designed by Lucile Troquet & Pentagram)

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ConTriBUTion(as seen in selected images)

- research- production of branding images- general photoshopping

above: branding image

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BranDinG ConCePT

Elements of Le Marais, withdrawn from their context, became the guiding sym-bols of the brand. The fashion label rep-resents the Parisian life, but also reflects international culture.

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Taylor Zhai Williamstaylorzhai@gmail.com

+852 9526 9971